Luffyko, The Second Pirate King
by ChemGirl
Summary: Luffy is a girl, but still wants to be the pirate king! What challenges could there be with Luffy being Luffyko? How would her crew act around her? How would her enemies treat her? So many questions, so many adventures, and so much laughter! Sorry it's not a good description!
1. Chapter 1

"Who is the most beautiful of all on the sea?"

"You, Lady Alvida!" The pirate ship crew yelled out, as they continued the fire on the cruise ship.

"That's right!" Captain Alvida said with a laugh. She looked at the pirate ship and smirked as she leaned against the heavy spiked club.

One of her men smiled "Looks like we are finally going to get some action."

Captain Alvida nodded cruelly "alright men, take it down." When they finally got close enough to through their grappling hooks, Alvida swung her heavy club "Alright men, let's show them the terror of Iron Club Alvida, Lady Pirate of the sea!"

After the men and Alvida had all boarded the cruise ship and began stealing all of the people's belongings a cabin boy, Coby, forced to join went to the kitchen to try and hide from Alvida and her men. However, knowing he wouldn't be able to hide forever he looked around until he saw a large barrel. "What a large barrel, I wonder what is inside it." He side and began to push it out of the kitchen. "Maybe this will keep them off my back for awhile.

"Well looky here, if it isn't our worthless coward. Hiding from the action again, Coby?"

Coby jumped and looked up at the three pirates, "No, no I was just brining this barrel of beer over for you guys."

The biggest of the three lifted it up "We will just lighten that up for you then."

The tallest grinned, "I was just starting to get thirsty."

Coby shook his head and waved his hands around frantically "You can't! If Alvida finds out she will kill us!"

The last one with a tattoo on his face grabbed Coby "She won't know if you don't tell her."

Coby nodded and the biggest one grinned "Now time to open this the old fashioned way. Watch out boys!"

Right before he punched down on the top of the barrel, the top of the barrel shot open and a fist connected with his jaw, sending him flying back unconscious. "I slept so well!" A girl shouted. She stretched and then looked around and saw the man on the floor, "who is that?" She looked in front of her and saw two dumbstruck men looking at her "Who are you? Your friend is going to catch a cold sleeping there." She said as she climbed out of the barrel.

"You're the one who knocked him out!" they yelled. They looked at the girl and then realized she was actually attractive. They looked her over from her worn sandles, her short jean shorts that showed her long legs, to her button down shirt that showed her stomach and cleavage. She had on a straw hat that covered some of her short black hair that framed her big brown eyes. She also had a scare under her left eye, but it only made her more attractive to them. "Are you messing with us because you know we are vicious pirates?"

The thinner guy grinned, "Maybe you like to be roughed up a little?"

However, the girl had started to ignore them and was now giving her attention to the pink haired cabin boy "Got any food? I'm starving."

"Hey! We are talking to you!" The pirates yelled as they lunged with their swords. Coby closed his eyes with fear and when he opened them he saw the girl still standing there with the two pirates cowering beneath her, both swords broken.

"What is wrong with you two?" The girl asked in confusion.

"Who are you?" one of the pirates asked in terror.

"Who me? Why I am Monkey D. Luffyko." She said with a large smile. "Now to get some food." She said licking her lips as she looked around.

"mo..mo…monster!" They yelled, "It's not a girl! It's a monster that tricks men so that it can eat it!" They yelled as they ran away dragging their fallen comrade.

Luffyko frowned "Weird guys, I wouldn't eat them. They would probably be disgusting. Now where is some food…"

Coby looked at her dumbstruck, "You need to get out of here! They will come back with more guys! There are hundreds of them just waiting for a chance to kill someone! They will kill you on the spot, or worse!"

Luffyko just laughed and brushed it off "I don't care about that, I'm hungry." She looked around then headed to the storage area and grinned "Food!"

Coby sighed and looked out to check if anyone was coming "Maybe they didn't say anything, it would be embarrassing to be beat by a girl." He said to himself and then looked at Luffyko and sighed 'especially one that looks like that.'

Luffyko searched around excitedly, until she found some apples, "apples! I love apples!" She cheered as she began to eat all of the apples she could find.

Coby began to walk over to her as she ate a full apple in one bite and then tossed another one in her mouth, "I'm Coby, your Luffyko right? That was pretty neat how you chased those guys away."

Luffyko continued to eat and shrugged "Oh by the way, is this a pirate ship?"

"No this is a passenger ship being raided by pirates. The captain is Lady Alvvida."

"Who cares, what I really care about is if there are any boats on board."

"Well probably a few." Coby answered as he watched the girl continue to devour the apples she could grab.

"Great! Mine got sucked into a whirlpool."

"The one outside! No way! No one could survive that."

Luffyko turned around and laughed, "Ya, I gotta say it was a surprise!" She turned back to her apples and started eating again "So are you one of the pirates?"

Coby frowned and shook his head "I was captured, so now I am forced to work for them in return for my life. "

"Your pretty stupid."

Coby felt his heart being pierced "Thanks for your honesty." He mumbled

Luffyko sat down beside him, finally finished with her meal "why don't you just run away?"

"No way! I'm much to scared to do that, every time I think about it I start to feel sick!"

Luffyko laughed "So your stupid and a coward! I hate people like you!"

Coby felt his heart being pierced again. "If I had the courage to drift alone in a barrel I would be rid of these pirates. I actually have my own dream I'd like to live out. Say Luffyko what made you set sail?"

Luffyko grinned, "Well I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yep!"

"But that would mean you are a pirate too!" Coby cried out, suddenly nervous about the tiny girl.

"Right."

"Your crew?"

"Don't have one yet, but I'm looking."

Coby stood up and looked down at the girl. "King of the Pirates is the title given to the person who obtains everything that the world has to offer. Wealth, fame, and power, you are going after the legendary treasure the One Piece!"

Luffyko gave him a big smile "Ya!"

"Ya? That's the treasure that all the pirates in the world are seeking!"

"Ya, so?"

Coby shook his head, trying to get his message through to the girl "Impossible! Impossible! Impossible! There is no way a girl like you could every reach the pinnacle during this great pirate age! There are too many out there that are meaner and stronger an-" Luffyko cut him short with a hard hit on the head. "Why did you hit me?"

"Cause I felt like it. Besides it's not if I can do it. I'm doing this because I want to do it. I decided long ago that I was going to be the King of the Pirates, so if I die for my dream I die." She paused and touched her hat then grinned, "Well now that my belly is full, it's time to get me a new boat!"

Coby sat there for a bit and thought "Hey Luffyko, you think if I was prepared to die for something like that, do you think I could do that? Do you really think I could join the marines?"

"Marines?"

"All my life all I have ever wanted was to join the Marines and catch the bad guys! I'm going to go become a marine and the first thing I'm going to do is capture Alvida!"

Suddenly the top of the storeroom collapsed "Coby! Who do you plan on catching? Do you really think this twiggy girl can help you? Well?"

Luffyko looked at the woman when swords came through the door and wall behind her, just missing her face. She looked at them uninterested as she looked back at the large woman before her. Alvida smirked when she saw her "You are no monster, or threat. You are just an ugly little girl. Coby who is the most beautiful one in all the sea?"

Coby started stumbling between wanting to fulfill his dream, and wanting to live made it harder for him to answer before Luffyko blurted out, "Hey Coby, Who is that fat lady?"

Alvida glared at the girl and her crew was terrfied "How dare you! Who do you think you are! I'm Iron Club Alvida, Lady Pirate of the Sea!" She yelled as she lifted her massive club and swung it down at the girl.

Luffyko grinned and easily dodged it grabbing Coby "Let's go!"

Coby couldn't help but scream, as the girl jumped up to the deck of the ship. Coby clung to her waist and wasn't until she landed did he open his eyes and realized where his face was. He quickly let go and moved away, his face bright red, until he saw the men glaring at them. "Luffyko get out of here!"

Luffyko just laughed as she charged one guy ducking under his sword as he charged her and then punching him in the face. She turned around and punched another guy in the face as she continued her graceful onslaught. Coby watched in amazement as she picked up a guy with one hand and threw him into four of his comrades, as if he was nothing. Coby couldn't believe it as he watched her unbelievably high jumps, and strong attacks. "Hey it's unfair to gang up on one girl!" Luffyko yelled as she ran away from a pack of guys. As she ran by the mast she grabbed on and kept running. Everyone stopped and watched as the girls arm stretched farther and farther. Luffyko grinned "Gomu Gomu Rocket!" She cried as she let her body rocket back forcing all of the men off the ship.

Coby started at her in wonder, "What are you?"

Luffyko laughed and pulled on her cheeks "I'm a rubber girl!"

Alvida had finally crawled back on deck "You ate a devil fruit didn't you." She accused glaring at the slim rubber girl.

Luffyko nodded "Yep, I ate the rubber fruit."

"You have some fighting skills. Are you a bounty hunter?"

Luffyko shook her head, "Nope, I'm a pirate."

"Just you?"

Luffyko nodded with a smile, "For now, I'm looking for a crew though. I think ten people should be good."

Alvida laughed at the girl "Ten people! Are you crazy?! Well I'll help you out I'll kill you before you make yourself any more of a fool! You give female pirates a bad name!"

Coby watched as Alvida raised her iron club and quickly tried to push Luffyko away "Quickly Luffyko, run! This person is the number one-" He cut himself off from saying she was the number one opponent there. Luffyko would probably be excited about that. He looked at the thin powerful rubber girl and felt his heart beat. He realized then that he actually had a crush on her. He blinked in surprise, forgetting about Alvida. He had a crush on someone, last time he saw a real girl, Alvida didn't count as a real girl, he thought they had cooties.

Alvida started to glare at him. She knew he had forgotten his fear of her, just because of a little crush with the straw-hat girl. "Coby? Number one what?" She asked coldly.

Coby paniked, how could he forget about Alvida at a time like this! She was going to kill Luffyko! Then he realized it, the way to save Luffyko "You're the number one fattest, ugliest pirate on all the seas!" He yelled as Luffyko began to laugh.

Alvida screamed in rage, "You are dead! There is no saving you now!"

Coby screamed in terror and began repeating in his head 'no regrets no regrets no regrets! Luffyko will be safe now, she can get away-' his thoughts stopped as Alvida began to bring down her club and his face got pushed into something soft. He opened his eyes to once again realize where his face was once again.

"Well said Coby!" Luffyko said as the club was brought down on her head. Coby looked up in horror when he saw the club on top of her head, until he saw her smirk. "Doesn't hurt! I'm rubber!" She laughed out as she backhanded the club away. She started laughing and then pulled her arm back and it continued going back for a long distance "Gomu Gomu Pistol!" She cried as she brought her fist back in a powerful punch, sending Alvida flying off her ship. Her crew watched in shock and horror as their captain vanished over the horizon. "Hey, give Coby a boat. He is going to be a marine." Luffyko said.

Coby looked at her with a surprised face, "Really?"  
Luffyko smiled and nodded, "Yep!" She then hugged him really tight pressing his face to her chest "Let's go!" She cried looking around trying to find the boats. When the pirates finally told her where the boats were she realized Coby had stopped moving. "Coby?" She picked him up and shook him lightly, "Coby? Hey Coby what happened?"

Coby's head was spinning from lack of air and excitement, "Wha-"

Luffyko breathed a sigh of relief, "Well that's good, I thought you were dead. Well let's go!" She cried as she jumped into the falling boat with Coby clinging to her waist. When they landed she noticed another boat and made eye contact with a red-headed girl. Luffyko stared for a bit then turned away, "Alright Coby let's go!"


	2. Chapter 2

Coby stared at the girl sitting on the stern out over the water. He looked at his compass and map again and nodded. They were heading in the right direction, "We should be able to reach an island with a marine base if we keep on this course."

The girl laughed out happily, "Wow your able to get us straight there?"

Coby shook his head " you know Luffyko, if you are going to be a captain you should probably be able to navigate."

Luffyko tilted her head, "really." She looked down at the map, "So we need to keep going south-"

"East," corrected Coby, "We are here and we need to get there." He pointed out on the map. He looked back up and quickly returned his gaze to the map when he noticed Luffyko was now leaning over the map. He looked up again and blushed 'what kind of woman is she? She doesn't have on a bra!'

Luffyko pursed her lips in thought "hmm…Oh so if it's east we should go the way we smell food, because East is lost to Feast!"

Coby looked at her, was she really this dumb? "No we use a compass, see?"

"So a mystery direction."

"Yes, yes a mystery direction." Coby said giving up on the girl. "Don't worry I'll handle this, you go do whatever."

"Yes! I'm going to try to catch a fish!" Luffyko cheered as she crawled back on top of the stern and looked down in the water.

Coby sighed and checked the direction before looking back up to see Luffyko trying to catch a fish as it jumped out of the water. "Luffyko, careful or you will fall in." As he said this Luffyko stood up to show him the fish she had caught and slipped off the stern and fell in the water.

She quickly pulled herself back up by her leg that had managed to get wrapped around the stern, "I thought I was going to die! Lucky my leg got caught!" Coby stared at her and then realized from her waist up was wet. "Oh I got my vest wet." She pouted and then shrugged it off and began to ring out the water.

"Luffyko!" Coby screamed as he quickly turned around. "You can't just take off your clothes like it's nothing!"

Luffyko looked at him confused, "But my shirt is wet." She then looked up and saw the island "Look! Land-ho!" She cheered.

Coby looked up and saw the land and smiled "I can be a marine! Luffyko, I can start my dream!" He said as he turned around to see Luffyko cheering, her vest in her hand. "Luffyko!" He sighed and looked back at the island, "I heard they looked up a Roronoa Zoro, the famous pirate hunter there."

Luffyko pulled her vest back on and buttoned it up before walking back over "Who is that?"

"You don't know who Roronoa Zoro is? He is a demon in human form! He cuts peoples throats with no remorse! He's a monster!" Coby cried.

Luffyko nodded, "So he is strong. Okay! Maybe he is a nice guy and I can get him to join my crew!" She started to giggle "I'm so excited! My first crew member!" She laughed as the boat got to the shore, "Let's go find Roronoa Zoro!"

Coby shook his head and trailed her through the streets, "Luffyko, this isn't a good idea. He's a pirate hunter and you are a pirate. He won't want to join you, he will cut your head off to make some money!"

Luffyko just laughed and continued forward ,"Nah, I don't have a bounty yet! So I will be fine and besides I haven't decided if he is a good person yet or not."

Coby glared at her, she was so stubborn and simple minded, "He was arrested, because he was a bad person!" He yelled at her, which he realized was wasted. She had found an apple stand and now any attention she had given him was gone.

Luffyko picked out an apple and bit into it as she tossed a coin to the seller "Maybe that Zoro guy is inside the base." She wondered out loud as she finished her apple. She watched as everyone gasped and ran as far away from her as possible. "Huh, hey Coby, do I smell or something?" She asked as she lifted her vest to smell it.

Coby quickly grabbed the bottom and pulled it back down before she accidentally flashed the crowd, "No Luffyko, you smell fine. I think it's because you said Zoro." He whispered. "He must have done something really bad, to get this kind of reaction."

Luffyko was already back in her own world and had started walking "Well let's go to the marine base, you want to be a marine right?"

"Ya…but I'm not ready yet I heard Captain Morgan is in charge of this base." Luffyko stopped in front of him and they both looked around and the townspeople again freaking out. "Why are they scared when I say the marine captains name? I mean I understand Zoro, but why the marines?"

Luffyko just laughed and kept walking "What an interesting town!"

"This worries me…"

"Maybe they just like to act that way." Luffyko said as she stopped and looked up at the gates for the marine's base.

Coby felt his heart tear in two. He was finally going to be a marine; on the other hand, he would be separated from Luffyko. "This is where we part ways Luffyko." He cried out, when he didn't hear a response he looked up to see Luffyko was gone. He searched around and saw her crawling up to the top of the wall to look inside the base. "Luffyko! What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find the demon!"

"He would be inside, you couldn't see him."

"Found him!" Luffyko cheered. "See there he is!" She yelled after stretching her arm to yank him up, "See!"

Coby blinked when he saw the man tied to the pole his hands polled to a horizontal pole. "Black bandana, the green waistband...that's Roronoa Zoro!"

Luffyko grinned happily, "That was easier than I thought. All we have to do is untie him and he can escape!"

Coby glared at the girl, "Are you stupid?! What do you think he would do if you set him free? He would kill you! Kill you, kill you, kill you!" He yelled.

"No problem, I'm strong!"

'What is with this girl?' Coby cried to himself. There was no saving her, she was an idiot, going to save her killer.

"You're bothering me." A deep voice said from the base. "Get lost."

"See, no matter how many lives you have, he won't join! He's definitely a bad guy." Coby cried out until a ladder got placed beside him. Both Luffyko and Coby turned to see a small girl climb up on the ladder and shushed them as she threw a rope down and slid down. "Luffyko stop her! She could get killed!"

The little girl ran up to Zoro and opened up a small piece of cloth to show two rice balls. "Are you hungry? I made you some rice balls!"

Zoro looked down on the girl, "You are going to get killed, get lost shorty."

The little girl just ignored him, "But you haven't eaten anything, you must be hungry. It was my first time making them, so I hope they turned out alright."

"I'm not hungry, so just get lost."

"But."

"You're annoying, go home, before I have to hurt you."

"Now, now is that anyway to talk to a child?" A new voice said. The gates opened and a man with blonde hair and a weird head walked in with his fancy suit. The man walked in front of two marines, "Looks like your still energetic, Roronoa Zoro."

Luffyko stared at the guy, "And another weird guy has shown up."

Coby sighed with relief, "Good the marines are here, the little girl will be safe."

The blonde guy looked at the little girl, "Those rice balls look good." He said as he snatched one and began to eat it in front of the little girl. The girl cried in protest and then he quickly spit it out "This is sweet! They are supposed to be salty!"

"But I thought it would be tasty sweet." She said as he knocked it out of her hand and began to stomp on it, "No stop, stop!" She cried.

Coby couldn't believe what he was seeing, "What a terrible thing to do."

The little girl cried about her food when the man pulled out a poster, "You haven't seen this have you? Any person who tries and help Roronoa Zoro will be executed, Marine Captain Morgan." The girl looked up terrified and the man smirked "You do know who my father is, don't you?"

Coby looked up in surprise, "So that is Captain Morgan's son?"

The captain's son turned to a marine "Toss this brat out." When the marine didn't immideately obey he grabbed the mans collar and ordered him, "I said toss her outside. Are you disobeying my orders? I'll tell my father."

The marine quickly nodded, "yes sir, I'll get right to it." He went over to the terrified child and apologized, "I'm sorry little girl, cover your head." With that said, he tossed her over the fence.

Luffyko leaped off the wall and caught the girl, using her own body to protect her. The little girl sat up and gave her a smile, "thank you!"

Coby ran over "Luffyko, are you okay?" After seeing Luffyko perfectly fine he went over to the little girl to look for any injuries "Are you hurt anywhere? What a terrible guy."

Meanwhile with Zorro…

"You bastard."

The captain's son just walked by him laughing, "It seems like you're being pretty stubborn, still being alive that is."

"I will survive this month."

The man just laughed, "Well do your best."

"Only 10 days left."

The man walked away laughing, "Only if you live that long."

Zorro sighed and looked back down when he realized someone was still watching him. He looked up to see the girl that had been on the wall earlier. "What are you still doing here?"

Luffyko looked at him and ignored his question, "So you're the bad guy? You must not be that strong being publicly humiliated."

Zorro glared at the girl, what did she know about being strong. She looked like a child waiting for a growth spurt. Her entire build was slim, still waiting on the curves of being a woman. "What would a child like you know?"

Luffyko just laughed and walked closer, "I would have escaped in three days."

"I'm different than you. I will survive to show them."

Luffyko grinned, "What a stubborn guy!" She walked closer to him and then ran her hand over his shoulders, "Wow, you actually have some pretty nice muscles there! Well see ya!"

"Wait, before you go, can you feed me that." Zoro asked motioning to the rice ball.

Luffyko picked up and made a face, "It's mostly dirt."

"Just give it to me." Zoro roared. Luffyko blinked and hand feed him. She watched as he coughed from the dirt. "Thank you, it was delicious." He looked at the slim girl before him and then blushed when she leaned forward revealing her cleavage to him. "You should leave before you get captured."

Luffyko looked at him and shrugged, "I'll be fine, I'm not tied up. Sure you will be okay?"

Zoro looked at her and could see she was concerned, "Just get lost already!"

Luffyko jumped up straight and grinned, "Alright bye bye!" She called out as she easily jumped over the fence back to Coby and the girl. "Alright, let's get you home!" She picked up the girl and followed Coby and the girls directions. "Zoro ate your riceballs and he said they were delicious."

The little girl cheered and giggled from the top of Luffyko's shoulders. "I'm so glad he liked him!"

"Is he really an evil guy like everyone says?" Coby wondered out loud.

The little girl glared at him "No! Well he is in jail because of us. Everything is Helmeppo's fault, Captain Morgan's son. He had this big mean dog and was letting it do whatever it wanted. It came into our inn and started eating the customer's food, so I hit it with my broom. However, Helmeppo got mad and started to make trouble for us. Well the dog was mad so it attacked me. Zoro was there and ended up killing the dog in order to save me from the dog. However, Helmeppo was mad and picked a fight, he lost horribly, but he arrested Zoro by using us. He said if Zoro didn't give up he would execute my mom and me. In our place he had got tied there, but if he lasts a month Helmeppo said he would set him free, but he keeps making fun of him and Zoro can't do anything about it!" The girl cried, "He's the bad guy, not Zoro!"

They arrived at the inn where the little girl and her mother worked to find Helmeppo sitting in one of the chairs, feet on the table. "I'm hungry, we are all going to eat for free." He told the mother, indicating to the two marines standing guard behind him. "Hey hurry and bring some alcohol. Hurry up." He said as she quickly filled up his glass with wine. "I'm tired of waiting, I've decided to execute Roronoa Zoro tomorrow. Look forward to it everyone." He laughed.

Luffyko ran up to him fury building up. She pulled back her arm and punched him in the face, "How dare you! You had a deal, and you are just going to back out?"

Helmeppo stared at her in shock, "You hit me! You do know I'm Captain Morgan's son don't you?"

"So what!" Luffy said as she tried to hit him again, only to be held back by Coby. "Let me go, he's trash."

"I'll tell my father and he will execute you."

"So something for yourself, you weakling!" Luffyko spat back at him.

Coby help on tighter "Luffyko, don't go making the marines your enemy!"

"I've decided Coby, I will have Zoro join me." She straightened up and glared down at Helmeppo until he ran out to the marine base.

Back with Zoro…

Zoro sighed, '10 days left, I can do this.' He had food in his stomach now, thanks to the strange straw-hat girl. It didn't take long for him to think back to her. She had a strong will and she certainly wasn't afraid of the marines. "Foolish girl will get herself killed." He muttered to himself. He couldn't help but think of the girl from his past, that also didn't back down. His heart clenched as he relived the painful memories. He forced himself from his memories when he realized someone was by him. He looked up and saw the girl again, "Didn't I tell you to get lost."

"I'm going to untie those ropes and you will be my comrade."

Zoro just started at the girl, "What?"

"You are going to join my pirate crew. I decided you are a good guy and your strong, so you should just join." Luffyko stated seriously.

"I refuse, you want me to be a bad guy."

"What's wrong with being a pirate?"

Zoro glared at the girl, "Pirates are scum, who would ever want to be a one?"

"Who cares, you are already known as an evil pirate hunter."

"I don't care what people say. I've never regretted anything I've ever done. I will survive and do what I want to do."

Luffyko just looked at him and shrugged, "Well it's regardless, I've already decided you would join my crew. I haven't met anyone else worth joining."

"You can't decide that by yourself!"

Luffyko ignored his outburst, "You use a sword right?"

Zoro couldn't keep up with the girl, "Well ya, but that Helmeppo took them."

"Well then all I have to do is go get them for you, in return you will join my crew!" She said with a grin.

"Now wait a moment, I never agreed-"

"See you soon Zoro I'll go grab that right now!" She looked up and threw her hands above her "Gomu Gomu Rocket!" She yelled as she threw them down into the ground launching her into the air.

Zoro just looked at her flying form in amazement, "What the hell is she?"

Luffyko was getting towards the top of the base, "shoot, I over shot. Hey a rope!" She quickly grabbed it and swung over to the top of the building. The marines began to struggle holding up the statue they were trying to raise. Luffyko landed on her feet when it began to fall, "Sorry didn't mean to break your statue."

Captain Morgan stared at the girl before him, "Do you have any idea what you have done? You are going to pay for this with your body!"

Luffyko ignored Captain Morgan when she had spotted Helmeppo trembling against a wall, "I found you!" She cheered as she grabbed him and ran off. "Hey daddy's boy, where is Zoro's sword?" She asked as she ran through the halls of the base.

Helmeppo cringed when she looked down at him "In my room…we just passed it a little bit ago."

Luffyko glared at him and hit him in the head, "You should have told me sooner." She turned around to see the marines standing there with their guns.

"Freeze or we will shoot."

Luffyko shrugged then picked Helmeppo up to his full height, "Okay you can shoot." Helmeppo screamed in terror as they ran through the marines, "Hey you are good for something!" Luffyko laughed out as Helmeppo cried. She finally found the room and found three swords in the corner, "Hey which one is his?" She looked down and saw he had fainted and sighed, "I was wrong, he still is useless." She tossed him aside and picked up the three swords. "Now all I have to do is untie Zoro."

Zoro glared at the pink haired boy, "You better get out of here before you get killed."

Coby shook his head firmly, "I can't. I'm not strong enough to help Luffyko, but you are, with your help you can both escape here."

"I'll be out of here in ten days regardless. I don't need your help."

Coby shook his heads and continued working on the ropes, "That's not true. Helmeppo has been bragging about executing you tomorrow. Luffyko heard him so she punched him. Then she came here to convince you to join her crew."

Zoro felt his blood run cold, it had all been a lie. He had allowed himself to be treated like this for nothing? Zoro glared down at Coby then up at the marines charging him with their guns raised. He couldn't believe it was this the end? He watched as they fired the guns and watched as the slim figure of Luffyko descended in front of him, the bullets tearing through her clothes and into her flesh, 'no not again, I can't watch another girl like her die!' his mind screamed. He watched as he saw a smirk form on her face and she braced herself. He looked back at her body and saw it stretched and then the bullets were fired away and back at the marines.

"Heh heh…bullets won't work!" She screamed with her trademark grin.

Zoro looked at the girl in shock and surprise, "What are you?"

She looked at him and smiled, "I'm Monkey D. Luffyko, I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"

Zoro couldn't believe what he had just heard, "King of the pirates? Do you understand what you are saying?"

Luffyko just grinned, "The Pirate King is the Pirate King, what else could it mean?"

"Don't you mean Pirate Queen?"

Luffyko just stared at him and thought for a second, "Nope Pirate King, Pirate Queen just doesn't work for me. Sounds weak."

The marines just stared at the girl before them, "I was surprised to!" Coby said with a grin, "But she is serious. That's the kind of persn she is, she will become the King of the Pirates and find the ultimate treasure, the One Piece."

Zoro looked at the grinning girl and couldn't help, but see his childhood friend and even himself. He watched as she pulled off the three swords from her back, "Here you go! I wasn't sure which one was yours, so I just grabbed all of them."

"All three are mine, I use three swords."

Luffyko just grinned and held them up to him. "You will use them right? Ah but, if you do you will owe me!" She laughed and looked at her forced comrade, "Fight with me, or die by the marines, your choice!"

Zoro slowly grinned at her, "You are the Devil's daughter, and you shouldn't laugh about cornering a man. Fine, I would rather be a pirate then die someplace like this."

Luffyko jumped up in the air happily, "Yay I got a comrade! I can't wait, oh this is so excited."

Zoro glared at her, "Are you forgetting what's going on? Untie me, now!" Zoro watched as she tried to figure out the knots. However, he didn't trust Captain Morgan, he was looking at his new captain with an appreciative eye, and not the good kind. He could only blame himself, getting involved with a girl who reminds him of Kuina. He looked down and blushed at the view; the girl needed a bra. "Hurry up."

Luffyko just pouted, "But these knots are just too hard."

"Stop screwing around!" He yelled, he looked over and saw the marines had switched over to knives and were charging, "Just give me my swords!" He felt them slip in his hands and he sliced the ropes holding him and blocked all of the swords. "Don't move, if you want to live." He growled out with his sword in his mouth. He then looked up at Luffyko, "Becoming a pirate and opposing the marines will make me a wanted man. However, I want you to know I will always follow my ambitions. I will become the World's Greatest Swordsman, and if you dare get in my way, I will kill you on my swords."

"World's Greatest Swordsman? The Pirate King couldn't have any other."

Zoro smirked, "Indeed, it doesn't matter if it's as a devil or saint, as long as my name is able to make it to the heavens."

Luffyko laughed as the marines began to move, "Duck Zoro!" Zoro quickly ducked as Luffyko pulled back her leg, "Gomu Gomu Whip!" She yelled as she released her leg, knocking the entire group of marines away from Zoro.

Zoro looked at the strange girl whose leg had just stretched and earlier bounced bullets back at her enemies, "What are you?"

Luffyko just laughed then stretched her check, "I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi, so now I'm a rubber girl."

Zoro looked at the weird girl as he heard the marines start to back off saying they couldn't fight someone like her. Captain Morgan glared at them, "All of you who just said that, shoot yourselves, captain's order."

Zoro got ready to fight again, "What is up with these marines?" He watched as Luffyko took off running towards them in a hurry, for the first time he saw that her face was serious.

"Luffyko! Crush those marines!" Coby yelled out as the girl began to knock them all out of her way, and she pulled her fist back and punched Captain Morgan who blocked it with the ax he had as a hand.

Captain Morgan looked down on the girl and gave her a cold smirk, "You think you can beat me? No civilian with no rank could beat me, especially some little whore off the street. I'm Axe Hand Morgan!"

Luffyko tilted her head and introduced herself to him, "I'm Monkey D. Luffyko, nice to meet you."

Captain Morgan glared down at the girl, "Die," he yelled as he swung his ax hand at the girl." To his dismay she easily dodged and he swung again only for her to jump up and away from the blow. She then brought down her feet on his face and back flipped off to land on her feet as he fell to the ground, "You little bitch!" He raised his arm as she charged him and brought it down only to have her spin out of the way, brining her foot back and hitting him in the face again.

"You gotta do better than that!" Luffyko said as she landed on her feet, her hand holding down her straw hat.

The marines looked at the battle between their captain and the slim girl in shock, "Captain Morgan…he's no match for her."

Luffyko picked up Captain Morgan by his collar and began to punch him in the face with her other hand, "What kind of marines are you? Destroying Coby's dream like that?"

Just then Helmeppo screamed out, "Just a minute straw hat, look at this!" He held Coby at gunpoint and watched as Luffyko just ignored him and kept punching his father. "I said look, damn it! Are you an idiot? Can't you see I have a hostage?" Luffyko dropped the captain and looked at Coby. "If you care about his life, don't move. You try anything and I will shoot!"

Coby looked at the girl and felt his heart pound, "Luffyko, I don't want to interfere with your dream, so don't worry about me!"

Luffyko grinned and began to walk towards him, "See Coby isn't afraid."

Zoro watched as she pulled her arm back to punch only to see the captain raise his ax over his head, ready to bring it down on the rubber girl's head. 'Damn it, this girl.' As she punched he charged and cut down the captain, preventing him from cutting down the girl. Luffyko giggled without looking behind her, "Nice job, Zoro."

"It was nothing, captain." Zoro sheathed his swords and looked at the marines, "Anyone who still wants to fight, come on over."

They watched in surprise as the marines began to cheer. Coby looked at them happily, "They weren't bad, they were just scared of Captain Morgan!"

Luffyko shrugged and then watched as Zoro collapsed, "Zoro!" She rushed over and looked down on him and began to shake him, "Zoro, are you okay, Zoro!"

"I'm hungry."

"Well I'm full!" Zoro said as he pushed his plates away. "That was worth not eating for three weeks!" He looked over at his slim captain and saw her still munching on some apples. "I don't understand how you can eat more than me."

Luffyko just shrugged, "Cause it's good, right Coby?"

Coby blushed, "Sorry, I ate a lot too."

The lady smiled and just brushed it away, "It was nothing! You guys saved us!"

The little girl looked up at Luffyko and grinned, "You were amazing back there!"

"Ya I was! But I will be even better, and I'm going to be the Pirate King! I even have a comrade now!"

"Oh ya I remember that you were looking for a crew, so how many people do we have? To become the pirate king, you must have a crew already."

Luffyko finished her bite then pointed to her and then him, "You and me!" Zoro looked at her shocked then pointed at himself and her, "Yep just us!" Luffyko laughed out.

"Can we be pirates with just the two of us?"

"What does that matter, we're strong."

Zoro had a bad feeling about this, "What about our pirate ship?"

Luffyko pointed out the window to a small little boat that looked like it could barely hold the two of them. "That's it. It's a little small, but I'll get us a big one! Oh and a pirate flag." Luffyko went off in her own little world leaving Zoro to pounder his captain choice.

"Luffyko seems to have been born with no planning ability." Coby informed him.

"Am I really going to be following this girl?"

Luffyko returned from her own world and continued eating, "We will get more comrades as we go along."

"So where are you guys going now?" The little girl asked Luffyko.

"Isn't it obvious, the Grand Line."

Coby spit out his juice, no planning abilities that was one thing, but this was ridiculous. "With just the two of you? That's impossible!"

Zoro leaned back and shrugged, "Guess we have no choice, to the Grand Line."

"You too, Zoro?"  
"What do you care, you aren't going."

Coby felt his heart clench at the reminder he would have to leave Luffyko to chase her dangerous dream, "Even though its been a short time, Luffyko and I are friends! Right Luffyko?"

"Right! Even though we are parting ways we will always be friends."

Zoro leaned in to Coby with a smirk, "Or are you just bumped that your crush is leaving you behind?"

Before Coby could respond the marines came in, "We heard you guys are pirates. Is this true?"

Luffyko looked up and smiled, "Yep, that's right and this is my first crew mate!"

"I'm sorry, we are thankful for everything you have done, but you must leave. We won't let headquarters know, for thanks for all that you have done for this town." Luffyko stood up and began to walk out with Zoro. "Wait isn't he with you?" The marine commander asked looking down at Coby.

Luffyko turned and looked at him, "Him, oh I know all about him! I met him on a cruise ship and he was working under this fat pirate called Alvida! He worked under her for to years!"

"Luffyko!" He yelled as his hand reached out and slapped her. She grinned and began to beat him until Zoro pulled her off.

"Enough he's clearly not with you, please leave."

Zoro followed his captain down to their boat, "Well that's one way to leave a town."

Luffyko giggled and looked back at the marine base, "Ya, I'm sure Coby will become a great marine one day."

Zoro looked at her and sighed, "You do know that means he will be your enemy, don't you?"

"Ya but it's all good!"

"The life of a pirate, everyone will hate us."

Luffyko just laughed as they set sail, "Yep."  
"Luffyko! Thank you for everything! I will never forget you!" Coby yelled as they drifted farther out to sea. He then saluted her and a group of marines came up behind him and also saluted them.

Zoro looked at them and smiled, "Marines saluting pirates, I'm sure that will never happen again.

Luffyko stood up on the bow of the ship with a grin, "We are on our way to being pirates!"

"It's gunna be one hell of an adventure."

Luffyko looked forward, "I will become the Pirate King."

Zoro looked at the girl before him and saw the will that drove her, "You are always rambling on about the Pirate King, is there a particular reason?"

"Nope no reason."

"But?"

"I made a vow to that man, to form an amazing crew, to find the worlds legendary treasure, and to become the King of the Pirates." She touched her hat with a smile, "This straw hat knows it all."

Zoro looked at his captain and gave a small smile, "I see. That works just find, since I made a vow to someone to become the World's Greatest Swordsman."

Luffyko looked at him and grinned, "Well what are we waiting for?" She pointed forward into the setting sun, "Let's go, to the Grand Line!"


	4. Chapter 4

Luffyko hung over the side of the ship looking at the water, "I'm so hungry."

"When will we reach land?"

"Who knows we go where the wind and sea takes us." Luffyko sighed as she laid down in the boat.

Zoro glared at her, "Don't you think you should know at least a little navigation? You want to be the Pirate King!"

Luffyko pouted at him, "So, you are a pirate hunter, shouldn't you know where to go?"

Zoro looked away from his mind numbing captain, "I never said I was a pirate hunter. I went out to see looking for a man, but I got lost and couldn't return to my village. I started collecting bounties to keep on living."

Luffyko looked at him and snorted with amusement, "So you were just lost."

Zoro slammed his foot down on the boat making it rock, "Don't say it like that!"

The movement caused her hat to fly off and she quickly got up following her hat with her eyes, "Shanks."

Zoro stood up and caught the hat as it began to fell overboard. He looked down at the wide-eyed girl and placed it on her head, "Be careful, so what is the story with that hat?"

Luffyko pulled it farther down on her head, "This hat knows all about my dream, a man gave it to me when I vowed to gather a stronger crew than his and that I would become the Pirate King."

Zoro sat down and looked down at his swords, stroking the white one lovingly, "I understand that."

Luffyko looked at him then leaned over his back to touch the white sword, "How did you get this?"

Zorro blushed as he felt her chest push up against his back, "It's a long story."

Luffyko blinked then crawled over him and sat in his lap and looked up expectantly, "Well are you going to tell me?"

"Why are you sitting in my lap?"

Luffyko pouted, "The wood wasn't comfy, you are much better than sitting on the floor."

Zoro sighed, he was going to have to go with whatever whim this woman had. "Fine, I guess I will tell you about this sword." He began telling her about his childhood and Kuina. As the day went on he had stretched out and his captain had began to use him as a pillow and was sleeping, not even listening to his story. Not that he minded, he had figured as much. He looked back down at his childish captain, she was so much like Kuina, yet so different. She wanted something outlandish, yet unlike Kuina she did not see her limitations. He brushed the girl's short black hair away from her face. She looked so delicate compared to what she acted. It was hard to believe the girl from earlier and her where the same person.

Luffyko woke up and stretched, punching Zoro in the face knocking him back, "Eh? Zoro why are you sleeping right now?" She shrugged and stood up and looked over the ship, "I'm still hungry."

Zoro rolled his eyes, 'I take back everything I was thinking a minute ago, this girl is a monster.' He looked over and saw her trying to catch fish with her bare hands. "What are you doing?"

"Fishing, I'm hungry." Luffyko replied as if it was obvious.

Zoro just rolled his eyes until he heard a splash. "Luffyko?"

Luffyko tried to keep her head above water, "Help…can't…swim"

Zoro quickly reached over and dragged her into the boat, "You idiot! Why can't you swim? Your going to be the Pirate King and you can't swim or navigate!"

Luffyko just giggled, "Well of course I can't swim, I ate a devil's fruit, remember? I lost my ability to swim then." Zoro was quiet and feeling guilty at his outburst. "But to be perfectly honest I couldn't swim before that either!"

Zoro laughed, "You sure are one interesting pirate."

Luffyko grinned as she began to take off her vest, "I guess so."

"What are you doing?"

"But it was wet!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Zoro I'm still hungry."

Zoro just grunted and continued lying down in the bottom of the boat, refusing to look at her. How much trouble could one girl be? At least her vest was back on. Suddenly his vision was blocked and he looked up to see a bird, "Maybe we are close to land."

Luffyko had spotted the bird and grinned, "Don't care, I'm hungry and I just spotted dinner!"

Zoro sighed and watched as she launched herself into the air and after the bird. "She better not fall into the water," he muttered as he watched as the bird decided Luffyko was dinner.

"Zoro…I think I'm going on ahead."

"What you idiot!" He screamed as he began to paddle after the bird.

"Hey let us on!" Three men screamed from the water.

"Fine, grab on, but I'm not stopping." He watched as the men grabbed on for dear life and climbed into the boat, "Hey you made it."

The men just laughed cruelly, "Now about your ship."

Zoro made quick work of them and put them to work rowing after Luffyko, "If I lost my friend, you three will be the ones to pay for it." The men quickly reassured him that they would catch up and Zoro looked after the way Luffyko went. 'She's strong so she should be safe, then again, she can't control herself to save her life. She's probably already dead or in the middle of picking a fight with someone she doesn't agree with.'

_Meanwhile with Luffyko_

"Bird, put me down!" Luffyko cried out as she tried to wiggle her way out of it's mouth. She looked forward and saw a cannonball coming towards her, "Hey bird, watch out." Luffyko felt the impact and looked down and screamed as she began to fall into the street, right between a girl and three men chasing her with swords.

The red head girl rushed over to her, "Thanks boss! I'll leave them to you." The girl rushed off feeling a little guilty leaving a small girl to the pirates, but she needed to survive.

Luffyko watched as the red head ran away and shrugged. She turned to the three men and gave them a smile, "Hey do you know where I could get some food? I am starving."

One of the men looked her over and smirked, "Well we may not have the girl, but we have her cute little boss."

Another of the men smirked then, "Hey little girl you better pay us back for your little thief."

Luffyko shrugged at them, "I don't have any money."

The third man smirked and got closer grabbing her vest, "Then pay us back with your body."

Luffyko shrugged and nodded, "Only if you feed me."

The three men grinned evilly, "Oh we will."

Luffyko grinned and flexed her arms, "Alright I'm really strong, what do I need to lift?"

The one man glared at her, "Don't screw with us!" He yelled as he backhanded her.

Luffyko ducked under it, but her hat got knocked off her head. Her eyes narrowed and she punched him in the face sending him several feet away. She caught her hat and replaced it on her head, "Don't touch my treasure."

The other two glared at her, "You bitch!"

"Gomu Gomu pistol!" Luffyko cried out as she punched them both in the face, knocking them out.

"Incredible! You're really strong!" The red head called out. Luffyko looked up and saw the girl watching her from the top of a building. The red head grinned then jumped down onto a balcony, "You beat three guys with sabers, barehanded!"

"You were that girl from earlier!"

The girl grinned, "I'm a thief who robs pirates! My name is Nami. Hey why don't you join me?"

"No, I have no reason to join you." Luffyko said as she began to walk away.

Nami jumped out of the balcony onto the street, "Wait hold on! I said wait!" She cried out running to catch up with the small girl. When she finally did she heard the girl's stomach growl.

"I remember now, I'm hungry!" Luffyko cried out as she sank to her knees.

Nami gave an embarrassed laugh, "Well, how about I treat you?"

"Really?" Luffyko cried out as she jumped to her feet.

Nami nodded as she looked at the strange girl. She began to lead them off the street and into one of the many houses. She quickly made up a sandwich for the girl, "Here you go."

Luffyko grinned and ate the sandwich in one bite, "It's so good! So do you live here alone?"

"Nope, I don't even live in this town. The locals were afraid of Buggy so they ran away."

"So you're breaking and entering."

"That's rude! I'm a thief who steals from pirates! Don't compare me to someone who breaks and enters."

Luffyko shrugged, "But a thief is a thief, right?

"I will earn one hundred million berries, no matter what."

"What are you going to do with that much money?" Luffyko asked as she began to munch on some bread rolls.

"Secret, if you have a map of the Grand Line, one hundred million berries is no dream."

Luffyko paused from eating, "Map? Are you a navigator?"

Nami grinned, "My navigation skill's are much better than any other navigator's."

Luffyko stood up in excitement, "This is great! Why don't you join us as a navigator?"

Nami got excited then, to be a navigator for someone of this girl's strength, collecting money would be no problem. "Really?"

Luffyko grinned and nodded, "Yep with you and my comrade we would be a crew of pirates!"

Nami's excitement quickly left and a scowl replaced her smile, "No. You are a pirate?" She looked over the slim girl in disbelief; she was too small.

Luffyko grinned, took off her hat, and held it affectionately, "I promised the man who gave me this hat, that I would become a great pirate."

Nami slammed her hands on the table and glared at the girl, "I hate pirates more than anything else in this world. I only like money and oranges."

Luffyko replaced her hat and looked at the girl seriously, "Hey come on, be our navigator."

"I said no."

"Oh well." Luffyko said as she began to eat the bread again.

Nami looked out the window and saw the pirates still looking for her, 'I need to do something.' She then heard Luffyko eat another piece of bread and smirked, "Well if you accept my conditions, I guess I can think it over."

Luffyko grinned, "Really? I will do anything!"

"I want you to come with me to see Buggy, however…" Nami quickly tied the other girl up.

"Hey, why did you tie me up?"

"It's just a rope, it shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

"Guess not. I wouldn't mind meeting some pirates. Let's go!" Luffyko announced as she began to drag Nami along behind her.

"Hey wait up."

Buggy glared at his men, "How could one little thief escape all of you!"

His men cowered before him, trying to defend themselves when one of the guards ran up, "Captain Buggy! The thief from before came back!"

"What did you say?!"

Nami walked up calmly with the tied up girl. She did her best to keep calm as she walked through the pirate crew who looked over them with greedy eyes. One of the men saw her, "That's her! That's the girl who stole the map!"

Nami got in front of the tent and pushed Luffyko to the ground with a smirk. She then looked at Buggy and gave a calm smile, "Captain Buggy, I have captured the thief and have come to return the map."

Captain Buggy looked over the girl, "Thanks for returning the map, but what made you change your mind?"

Nami offered the map to him and let him take it, before she backed up, "I had a fight with my boss, I can' stand her anymore. Let me join your crew."

The men began to panic, "Captain Buggy is getting angry." "The devil fruit power will appear." "What are we going to do?"

"Devil Fruit?" Luffyko wondered as she returned her gaze to the pirate captain.

Buggy began to laugh, "Had enough of her? What an interesting woman! I like you, you can join us."

Nami was surprised but hid it with a smirk, 'My plan succeeded, I knew pirates were simple minded.'

Buggy looked at the small girl tied up in rope in front of him. "Now what to do with you."

Luffyko blinked and found herself tied up in a cage, "Why am I in a cage?"

"I'm in a good mood today." He turned to Nami and gave a cruel smile, "Woman, what is your name?"

"Nami"

"Great! We will have a party in honor of Nami. Let's have some fun!" Food and drinks were set out and the pirates were all having a good time, "What's wrong? Aren't you having fun this is your party?"

"I'm having lot's of fun, thank you so much."

Buggy sat there for a second then shook his head, "No this isn't good enough for our new comrade. Men the buggy ball!" Nami watched as they prepared and fired it, destroying an entire street of houses, "With the power of the Buggy Ball and my Devil Fruit powers, I will rule the grand line. Right, Nami?"

"Of course!"

Luffyko heard him and made a questioning sound getting everyone's attention. "The one who is going to rule the Grand Line is me. I'm going to be the Pirate King."

Nami looked at the girl in horror, couldn't she read the situation she was in? "You are an idiot!"

Buggy tried to contain his laughter, "No wonder you were sick of her." He walked up to her and grabbed her vest pulling her close to the bars, "You better think of a way to make me show you mercy for that little missy." He said as he looked down over the slim girl before him. Luffyko bit his hand and he pulled away, "Nami I'm giving you a present. You get to blow up that old boss of yours. It will also be your test of loyalty to me. Prepare it!"

Nami looked at the girl and began to worry, this was going farther than she thought her plan would go, "Hey since this is a party let's keep eating and drinking!"

"Do it. This is my way of partying."

Nami felt helpless as she was given the matches, 'If I don't shoot, I will be killed.' She looked at the girl in the cage 'It's not my fault, she was so easy to trick. Besides she is a pirate and all pirates are the same. Still, she saved my life, and killing her would make me no better than these pirates.'

"Nami don't go spoiling the party!" Buggy warned.

"What's wrong your hands are shaking." Nami looked up at the girl who still looked calm. "This is what happens when you're not mentally prepared."

"Mentally prepared? To kill people at will? Is that the way of pirates?"

Luffyko leaned forward and grinned, "No, it's being prepared to risk your own life."

Nami stared forward in disbelief, was this girl really ready to risk her life? She felt someone take the matches from her, "Hey newcomer don't make us wait, this is how you light a match." She watched as he brought it closer to the wick. She ground her teeth together and grabbed her three-piece pole and threw the pieces together bringing it down on the pirate's head.

"What's the meaning of this Nami?"

Nami quickly bowed and apologized. Luffyko looked at the girl, "What are you doing? Didn't you just save me?"

"Don't be ridiculus, I just got too excited and slipped." She said as she readied her pole against the pirate crew surrounding her, "I won't stoop to the same level as these pirates."

"Oh got too exicted."

"I will never be like the pirates who took my most important person away from me."

"Is that why-" Luffyko screamed instead of finishing her sentence, "The cannon, it's lit!

Buggy glared at Nami, "You think you can defy me, you bitch?"

A swarm of pirates charged at Nami. She swung at them then blocked one as he attacked. She lost grip of her pole then ran towards the cannon stopping the burning wick with her bare hands, crying in pain as it burned her.

Luffyko looked at the girl with surprise, "You…" she watched as the pirates went to attack her, "Behind you!"

"Time to die!" The pirates yelled out.

Nami lowered her head and waited for their steel swords to cut into her flesh. "All these men picking on one little girl?"

Luffyko grinned, "Zoro!"

Nami looked at the girl in the cage then turned around to see a swordsman standing here with the beaten bodies of the pirates before him, "Injured?"

Nami was surprised, "Eh?"

"Are you injured?"

Nami shook her head slowly, "No, I'm fine."

Luffyko breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. You were actually able to find this place! Hurry up and get me out of here!"

Zoro sighed and turned to his captain, sitting in a cage with a grin, "What on Earth are you doing? A bird takes you away and now you are in a cage?"

"Well it was a lot of fun."

The pirate crew suddenly realized, "Zoro…It's the pirate hunter! Roronoa Zoro!"

Nami looked at him then, 'the comrade she was talking about was the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro? What's going on?'

Buggy looked at him, "So you are Zoro, what do you want? Did you come for my bounty?"

"Nope not interested. I quit being a pirate hunter."

"But I'm interested, if I kill you I will become even more famous." Buggy chuckled evilly.

Zoro turned and glared at the pirate captain, "Do it, and you will die."

"Eh okay."

Zoro sighed as he watched Buggy play with the knives in his hands. "I guess words can't make him understand." Zoro drew his swords, one placed in his mouth. He watched as Buggy charged and he effortlessly cut him down. He sheathed his swords and looked at the cut apart captain, "No reaction at all."

Luffyko cheered in amazement, "Wow this guy is really weak!"

Nami looked at the captain and Zoro in amazement, "No way." She heard the crew chuckle and looked at them, "What's going on? Their captain was just killed and they are laughing."

Zoro glared at the crew, "What's so funny?" As soon as he finished saying that he felt cold steel pierce into his flesh. He looked down at his side and saw a blade had pierced all the way through.

Luffyko watched as her comrade fell to his knees, "Zoro!"

Nami looked over and saw the unattached hand holding the knife inside of Zoro, "What's with that hand?" She cried out.

Zoro watched as the knife and hand returned to their owner, "Seperation Fruit. That's the name of the fruit I ate." Buggy said with a grin. "I can't be killed with a sword! I'm a separation man!"

Nami stared at the man in horror, "He's body went back together? I thought Devil Fruits were just a myth!"

"Splitting man? He's a monster!" Luffyko cried out.

Buggy laughed and looked at Zoro, "Although it's not a critical wound it is pretty serious. The fight is over."

"This situation doesn't look very good." Zoro muttered as he tried to control his pain.

Luffyko looked at Nami paniking then at Zoro who had been badly injured. She glared at Buggy, "Attacking from behind is cowardly! You big red nose!" She yelled at him, trying to draw his attention away from her injured comrade.

Nami looked at the girl with horror, 'That idiot, of all things to say!'

Buggy turned in shock to the caged girl, "Who did you say has a big red nose?!" He screamed as he threw his hand and dagger at the girl.

Zoro fought to move as he watched as the dagger went at the girl's face, "Luffy!"

"Buggy!" Luffyko yelled out, dagger clenched between her teeth. "I will kick the crap out of you." She said with a grin as she broke the dagger between her teeth.

Buggy laughed at the girl, "Kick my ass? You gotta be dreaming, girly. All three of you are going to die today. Now how should I finish you three off?"

Luffyko just laughed in their face, "I'm not going to die! Run Zoro!"

Nami looked at her in surprise, "You are telling the guy who came to save you to run away?! What about you?"

Luffyko just sat there with a grin, and Zoro got what she was trying to say, "Rodger, Captain."

Nami just looked at the two confused, 'No good, I don't understand them. This is why I hate pirates!'

Buggy lunged at Zoro, "Idiot, you can't escape!" He swung at Zoro, who was able to stand up and block every attack. He was able to cut Buggy down the middle then rushed past him. "Fool! Your three style sword technique has no effect on me!" Buggy realized Zoro was no longer in front of him and was instead running towards Luffyko, "Hey listen when I'm talking!" Zoro went to the cannon and flipped it. Buggy went wide eyed, "What! We're going to die! The Buggy Ball is still in there!"

Zoro struggled to regain his strength, "Hey light it." Nami nodded and lit the cannon. Luffyko, Nami, and Zoro braced themselves for the cannon to fire. Buggy and his crew watched in horror as the cannon fired.


	6. Chapter 6

Zoro slowly stood up after the Buggy Ball exploded and turned to his captain. "I'll get you out of here." He picked up the heavy cage and slowly began to walk away. Nami watched in amazement as the man disregarded his own life, for a small female pirate. "Why do you try so hard? You're just a pirate." Zoro ignored her and she just turned away.

Luffyko watched Zoro with worry, he was bleeding a lot, and he had already dragged her in the heavy cage far away from Buggy. He finally stopped and collapsed beside the cage, "Zoro…" Luffyko whispered to herself.

"What's with this dog?" Zoro asked once he had gotten a full breath of air in his lungs.

Luffyko quickly turned around, "Dog?" She quickly moved her cage over to get closer to the dog and began to make faces at it, "look Zoro, it doesn't move at all!"

Zoro slowly moved himself under the shade and leaned against a wall, "Who cares, it will do what it wants." He looked at his captain, making sure she was uninjured. She was going to be the death of him, he was surer than ever. No common sense, and managed to get in the worst possible situation. He had thought she would have been killed when Buggy threw the knife at her, but she had caught it. He sighed as she continued to make faces at the dog, she was too simple minded. He watched as she poked the dog only to have it bite her face. He looked at her and the dog in surprise, he couldn't believe this was his captain, "Do you understand the situation we are in?" He yelled at her in disbelief as she fought to free herself from the small dog. He panted and collapsed to the ground. He was injured, and she was in a cage. Yes she could resist bullets, but swords that was his job. He looked at the girl how strong was she? Yes she had let him finish off Axe Hand Morgan, but was she strong enough to fight against these men? He looked over her once again, her slim build and small wrists, there was no way anyone would see her as a threat, even the redheaded girl looked more threatening. He needed to get better, he needed to protect her, "I need blood."

Luffyko finally got away from the dog and saw Nami, "Hey navigator!"

Nami just smiled and tossed a key towards her, "I'll guess I'll give you this, you did save me earlier."

Luffyko grinned when she saw the key, "The key to the cage! Did you get it just for me?"

"Don't misunderstand me. I don't want to owe you anything, that's all."

Luffyko nodded and went for the key, "I'm saved!" Right before she grabbed it the dog ate it. Luffyko grabbed the dog and began shaking it, "You damn dog! That was not food! Give it back!"

Suddenly a man yelled out to them, "Hey! Leave ShuShu alone, you brats!"

"ShuShu?"

Zoro looked at the man to see if he was a threat, "Who are you, old man?"

The man stood up straight and announced with pride, "I'm the mayor of this town. Who are you people?" He looked down at Zoro and saw his wound, "Oh my, that is a pretty serious injury…Were you guys attacked by Buggy?" He asked more to himself, "You should see a doctor."

Nami watched Luffyko as the old mayor took Zoro away for rest. How did this tiny pirate girl manage to get someone as dangerous and powerful as Zoro on her crew? Not only that why did he risk his life for her? She was no great beauty, she had a nice body, but Nami's chest was clearly larger. She looked at the girl and saw her worry for her friend and sighed. For a pirate, she had a decent heart it seemed. She watched as the mayor returned and saw Luffyko look up, "How's Zoro?" Luffyko asked as the mayor got close.

"I said I would take him to a doctor, but he said he would be fine if he sleeps."

Nami saw the relief in the girl's face and sighed as she petted the dog, "So this dog's name is ShuShu?"

Luffyko grinned and looked at the dog, "What is it doing just sitting there?"

"Guarding the store." The mayor went on to explain the story behind the store and his friend. He explained how the store was now the dog's treasure. Then the ground began to shake, and a roar echoed through the town.

"What was that roar?" Nami asked looking for the source of the noise.

The mayor stood up and looked in the direction of the sound, "It's him, it's beast tamer Mohji!"

Nami watched as the mayor began to move around nervously, "Hey what's a beast tamer?" The mayor ran away and Nami followed, "Hey wait a minute!"

Luffyko sighed and looked at the dog, "Ah something's coming. Give the key back, will ya?" Just then a shadow appeared over her and she leaned back to see a giant lion.

A man sitting on top of the lion smirked. "So you've been abandoned by your friends, and after you just escaped."

"Who the heck are you?"

"I'm known as the beast tamer Mohji, a member of the Buggy Pirates."

Luffyko lay down to have a better look at the lion and Mohji, "Wow, that's a weird animal suit you got on."

"That was rude! This is manly hair!"

"That's even weirder."

"You shouldn't assume your safe, just because you are in that cage. You must not know about my terrifying skill. There is no animal in this world I can not tame." To prove his point he went down to ShuShu and reached out his hand, "Shake." To his surprise ShuShu latched onto his hand. After he managed to shake off the dog, he pretend like nothing had happened, "I have no interest in killing a little thief like you, tell me where Roronoa Zoro is before I change my mind."

Luffyko shook her head, "No way."

"Richie, attack!"

Luffyko jumped up out of the way of the claw as it smashed the cage imprisoning her. "Finally, I'm out!" She cheered as the lion Richie swung its claws back at her catching her and sending her flying into a building, destroying it. Luffyko sat up and started brushing the dirt off, "That was intense, and at least I'm out of that cage though! Now first thing is to teach those Buggy Pirates a lesson and then convince Nami to be my navigator." She giggled to herself then left the building rubble to see the mayor and Nami.

"Your alive?"

"How did you survive that attack?"

Luffyko blinked in surprise, "I got lucky I guess."

Nami looked at the girl who stood there without a scratch or bruise, "Surving an attack like that isn't normal. I figured you would be scattered all over."

"It's not normal?"

The mayor looked at the girl suspiciously then, "Why exactly did you come to this town and how did you get involved with those pirates?"

Luffyko just grinned, "All I'm doing is searching for a chart of the Grand Line and a navigator to join my pirate crew." She began to run off then, "I think that guy in the animal suit said he was looking for Zoro, so I gotta go." Luffyko ran off towards Mohji and Zoro, 'Hopefully he is alright, I already got him into a bad situation earlier.' Luffyko stopped when she saw the pet food store on fire with ShuShu's bloody paw prints around the square. She felt fury go through her then went to find the Mohji and Richie.

"Wait I thought I already killed you, what are you still doing alive?"

"I'm afraid you can't get rid of me that easily."

Mohji jumped off Richie "This time crush her head into the ground, Richie!"

Luffyko smirked and twirled her arms around grabbing Richie, "I'm not going to be beaten by a lion." She jumped over the lion spinning her arms together more, "Gomu Gomu Hammer!" She cried as she spun the lion down into the ground, her hat spinning off her head.

Mohji watched in shock and terror, "What are you?"

Luffyko stayed crouched down, "Well I ate the Gomu Gomu no mi."

"So then you have devil fruit powers, like Captain Buggy, but yours make you rubber?" Mohji quickly backed up, "I'm sorry I apologize for attacking, I don't want any trouble."

Luffyko stood up and looked at ShuShu, "There's no reason to apologize to me, because of you that dog will never get it's treasure back." She turned and glared at the man, "It's because of that, that I'm going to kick your ass."

Mohji felt the terror go through him and he took a step back only for the girl's arm to shoot out and grab his neck, yanking him to her and then her small fist collided with his face.

Luffyko looked down at the man before her, who had crushed ShuShu's treasure and walked away.

Nami looked at ShuShu and the pet store, "Pirates are all the same, they are all heartless bastards. They destroy everything anyone holds dear without giving it a second thought." She looked up to see the pirate girl coming towards them, "Still alive pirate? I thought for sure that lion was going to tear off your head and end it all. I wish he had! Then there would be one less pirate in the world. Maybe I should kill you now before you can gather a crew and destroy everything else!" Nami yelled as she charged the girl.

The mayor stopped her, "Stop there is no need for violence."

Luffyko just kept walking towards ShuShu, "As if you could ever kill me."

"Well maybe I will try it and see!"

"I said stop! What is with you people?"

Nami stopped struggling when she saw Luffyko place the pet food box down in front of ShuShu and then sat down, "Sorry, but that was all I could save for you. That bastard lion ate all the rest of it."

Nami looked at the girl, 'She fought the lion in order to save the dog's food?' She watched as the girl continued to talk to the dog, "You fought well. Of course I didn't actually see you defend the store, but I can tell you gave it your all." ShuShu grabbed the food and walked off then barked to Luffyko. "Thanks, good luck to you too doggy."

Nami watched ShuShu go and sighed she needed to apologize. She went up to the girl and said, "Hey I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to yell at you."

Luffyko just brushed it off as she stood up brushing off the dust on her shorts, "It's okay you have been under a lot of stress lately, but hey, no need to apologize."

The mayor clenched his fists together, "I'm pathetic, ShuShu and this young girl have fought so hard and yet I, the mayor, have done nothing but sit back and watch my town get obliterated by Buggy and his crew."

Nami and Luffyko ran in front of him, "Calm down it's not that bad."

"Forty years ago this land was nothing but barren land, but we built it up. This town is a treasure to me, and all it's citizens! From here on out, I refuse to allow Buggy and his crew to do whatever they like to this town!" Just then a Buggy Ball was shot destroying an entire street of houses and shops. "They will destroy it all."

Luffyko gasped, "That was the building Zoro was sleeping in!" She looked at the rubble remaining trying to find a glimpse of him.

"I'm sure he is dead now." The mayor said sadly.

"Zoro are you in there? Are you still alive?"

"That sure is a way to wake someone up." Zoro grumbled as he heard Luffyko laugh, "I could have used a few more Z's"

Nami looked at him in amazement, "How did you survive that blast?" She looked and saw just a little debris but he was no worse for the wear. She looked at Luffyko who was in much the same condition, 'How are these two human?'

Luffyko grinned, "Alright! You survived!"

"I refuse to let him get away with this. I can't let that scumbag destroy everything we have worked for these past forty years. I am the mayor of this town I will protect it and it's inhabitants! This I swear!"

Nami grabbed him trying to slow him down, "Stop you can't defeat Buggy."

"Perhaps, but there are some fights a man can't run from, isn't that right?"

Luffyko grinned and nodded, "Right."

Nami glared at her, "Shut up Luffyko, don't egg him on! It's dangerous for him to fight Buggy."

He pulled away from her then and yelled, "I know it's dangerous," and then took off running towards Buggy, "I'm coming for you Buggy the Clown!"

Nami watched the mayor run away, "The mayor was crying."

"He was? Didn't notice."

Zoro watched him leave then smirked, "Looks like the party is getting more exciting."

Luffyko giggled then and nodded, "Sure does."

Nami looked at the two in disbelief, "This is no time for laughter."

Luffyko grinned, "Don't worry, I like the old guy. I won't let him die."

Zoro stood up and began walking the way the mayor had left, "Well in that case."

"You are going to go to? You're wounded!"

Zoro tied his bandana on his head and smirked, "Ya, so what? The damage to my reputation is a lot worse then the injury to my gut."

Luffyko grinned, "Well if we want to go to the Grand Line we better go steal that chart back. So are you going to join our crew?" She offered her hand, "So are you, come on!"

"I will never sink so low as to become a pirate!" She slapped Luffyko's hand then grinned, "But, I guess we can team up in order to achieve our common goal."

Luffyko giggled then walked after the mayor with her crew beside her. She watched as the mayor was picked up by a disembodied hand and then grabbed the hand and the mayor and separated them. "It's that straw hat girl!"

Luffyko looked up at him and grinned, "I'm here to kick your ass Buggy, just like I promised I would."


	7. Chapter 7

Buggy glared at the girl before him and had his hand reattach to his body after she let it go, "Damn you strawhat." He said as he glared at her and the little group with her. "How dare you. You can't just waltz up to me and treat me like this! I'm Captain Buggy and I won't stand for it!" He screeched.

Nami turned to Zoro, "Listen to me, all I want is the chart and the treasure. Then I'm out of here. Got it?"

Zoro stood uncaring, hands in pockets, "Ya I got it."

The mayor finally regaining his breath tried to convince them to leave, "Go get out of here, why did you follow me? Your outsiders, leave this town to me. This is my town, so I need to be the one to protect this town." He said as he reached for his weapon. "Buggy is my fight!"

As he said that Luffyko pulled back and pushed his face into a house, knockng him unconscious. Nami watched in horror then yelled at the girl, "What the hell do you think you are doing? Why did you knock out the mayor?"

Luffyko brushed her hands off and turned with a smile, "Because."

Zoro with his bandana on looked at his small captain and shrugged, "It's not a bad idea. If the old man had continued to fight he would have died. It's for the best."

Nami ignored him and continued to yell at the girl, "You didn't have to hit him! I'm sure we could have found a more humane way to deal with the situation!"

Luffyko had stopped listening and began to walk closer to the building Buggy was at. "Well here it goes," she said as she took a deep breath then yelled, "Big nose!"

Everyone was in shock and Nami grabbed her hair in frustration, "That idiot! That's the worst thing you could have said to him!"

Buggy glared at the girl, his rage was unstoppable now, "That damn flashy idiot. I won't stand for this. Take aim and fire the Buggy ball!"

Zoro and Nami both moved closer to the girl stirrng up all the trouble. "Why did you have to say that?" Nami cried out as she took off running.

Zoro took another step towards his captain, "Come on Luffyko we have to go."

Luffyko stood her ground, "You go ahead,"

"Time to die!" Buggy yelled.

Luffyko just smirked, "I'll be fine, just watch." She said as the Buggy Ball was fired. As it approached she said, "Gomu Gomu Balloon!" Her stomach expanded and she was able to catch the canon and return it back at Buggy.

Zoro sighed and placed his hand on his head, "She could have warned me."

Luffyko held her hat down as the ball exploded and grinned, "Alright! I got them!"

Nami sat up and glared at the girl, "What kind of monster are you?"

Zoro walked up to his captain, "I think you freaked her out." Then he noticed something and quickly turned around bright red. "Nami," he called out and then pointed at his captain, vest unbuttoned after the last attack.

Nami looked and then screamed, "Luffyko!"

Luffyko turned around and looked at the other girl, "What?"

Nami hit her in the head then buttoned the girl's shirt. "What kind of girl are you? Don't you know anything?"

"Who wants to be a girl, they are weak!" Luffyko laughed only to receive another hit from Nami, "I'm sorry." She said with a small bow.

Nami sighed then turned to see the rest of the building then gasped. The building was completely demolished. "I knew something was weird after you survived that fight with the lion. No human being can do what you can do. Now explain yourself. What was that weird balloon inflatey thing you did just now?"

"That was the Gum Gum Balloon."

"I don't care what you call it, tell me how you did it! What are you some kind of freak."

"How dare you try to flashily do me in." Buggy said from two men he had held in front of him to protect himself. He threw them down and received disgusted looks from the little group opposing him.

"Unreal, using his men as a shield." Nami said as she looked down at the pirate captain.

Suddenly the lion tamer, Mohji, awoke in the rubble, "What just happened." He stood up and then saw the girl, "No it's you!"

Luffyko just grinned and waved, "Hi!"

Mohji began freaking out, "Ah it's the damn strawhat! Captain Buggy we have to be careful! She has devil powers too! She's a rubber person! I saw it myself!"

Buggy looked at his subordidnate, "What?"

"A rubber person?" Nami asked curiously looking at the girl.

Luffyko nodded, "Ya, see." She said as she pulled her cheeks out and away from her face, making Nami move away from the strange girl.

"A devil fruit. That explains everything. That's how she was able to bounce the Buggy Ball back at me." Buggy said.

Suddenly more rocks were moving away and another person stood up holding the lion, Richie, up as a shield, "So captain, how do you plan to respond to this insult?"

"Oh Cabaji, I don't know. I'm to mad to think."

Mohji glared at him as he held Richie, "Put him down now Cabaji! What the hell did you do to my Richie?"

Cabaji glared at Mohji, "This cat? I used it as a shield to keep my clothes from getting dirty." He said as he tossed the lion down.

Mohji rushed towards his lion, "Richie! No Richie say something please!" Richie saw Cabaji's galre and quickly went to hide behind part of the fallen building. "Damn you! You bastrrd!" He yelled as he charged his crewmate only to get kicked out of the way sending him flying towards the straw hat girl, "Get out of my way!"

"How about out of my way!" Luffyko yelled as she kicked him in the face sending him into a house.

Cabaji looked at the girl and smirked, there was nothing he loved more then cutting into the flesh of some little girl. "Captain Buggy."

"Yes Cabaji?"

"Allow me to repay their disrespect."

"Fine but make it a good show for everyone."

Cabaji leaped over his captain on his unicycle and charged towards the straw hat girl, his blade thirsting for her blood, "You may call me Acrobat Cabaji, Buggy's Chief of Staff. You will pay for your insolence."

Zoro watched as the man began to charge his captain. There was no way he was going to touch his captain. Right before he was able to strike at her Zoro blocked his attack, "I'll clash swords with you."

"Roronoa Zoro, it is an honor. As a swordsman myself I relish this chance to slay you." He said as he glanced down at the wound Zoro held.

Luffyko walked around to look at Zoro, "Hey Zoro, you should really get some rest. Let me handle this guy."

Zoro refused to look at her. There was no way he was going to let this guy have any pleasure in fighting his captain. Even a small amount of blood from her would give this creep pleasure. "Just stay back."

Cabaji smirked then yelled, "Arsonist technique!" He swung his sword down then began to breath fire making Zoro try to protect himself from the flames. Then Cabaji swung and kicked Zoro's side where he had been stabbed. The two girl's flinched from the blow and Zoro let out a strangled yell as he collapsed to his back, trying to get a breath of air. "What's wrong? I didn't kick you that hard, did I?"

Nami glared at the man, "He fights dirty, going after his injury like that."

Cabaji continued his assault when he said, "Acrobat technique, Murder at the steam bath."

Zoro sat there and muttered, "Acrobat my ass, that's just an ordinary dust cloud." He said until he saw the swords coming after him. He quickly blocked them only to be kicked in his injury again. Zoro gave his mutted yell as the momentum of the kcik sent him rolling away.

Nami glared at the man again, "He did it again!"

Cabaji looked down at Zoro who was on all fours trying to breath, "What's this. It's such a disgrace to see a groan man moaning. I suppose you see how foolish it was to fight against the Buggy Pirates."

Nami looked at Zoro in shock, "To keep fighting with such a bad injury is crazy. He's hurt so bad, I don't know how he can stay in the fight?" She turned to Luffyko and yelled, "Why are you just standing there watching him? He's going to get himself killed you know?"

"Poor Roronoa Zoro is finished!" Cabaji yelled as he lunged.

Zoro had felt Luffyko's eyes on him. He was not going to lose, he didn't need her help. "You annoying little bastard." He said as he stood up, "You having fun poking at my wound? Then go ahead!" He challenged as Cabaji stabbed his injury.

Everyone watched in shock as it happened. Nami covered her mouth and Luffyko clenched her teeth, "Ouchy" she said as she watched her comrade continue standing.

Nami looked at him in shock, "Why didn't you dodge the attack?"

Zoro refused to look at the two girls he was protecting, "Is that enough of a handicap for you? Now let me show you, just how superior my skills are to yours."

Luffyko almost knocked over Nami in her excitement, "Ya Zoro! Get him!"

Cabaji glared at him, "You fool, you've made a vast error in judgement. I won't be mocked."

"My swords aim to become the World's Greatest. I refuse to lose to even once to anyone who calls themselves a swordsman."

"I see so a strong resolve keeps you going. But have no fear, wounds as bad as yours will be more than enough of an excuse to lose to me."

"To hell with that. If I lose to someone like you, even with these minimal injuries, then I don't have a very bright future than, do I?" Zoro said as he placed his third sword in his mouth.

Cabaji glared at the swordsman, "Why you."

Luffyko grinned and cheered, "Alright! Go Zoro!"

Nami gasped then looked away from the girl, "I won't stay and watch this. You pirates can stand around and kill each other for the rest of time for all I care. I mean it doesn't matter to me whether you guys win or lose." She began to walk away then turned back, "I'm going to take this opportunity to steal their treasure and get out of here. Maybe we can team up again if we ever get the chance. See ya good luck with the fight!" She finished as she ran off and muttered, "Those two aren't normal. I can tell if I stay with them nothing good will come of it."

Cabaji looked at his opponent then yelled, "Here's a taste of my ultimate acrobat technique. Acrobat technique the dance of a hundred kamikaze tops! " Hundreds of tops went out at Zoro who easily dodged them, "Acrobat technique a hike in the mountains, fireworks in the cool summer breeze, stain of the unicycle."

Luffyko watched in amazement at the high jump of the acrobat, "Wow that's high!"

Buggy laughed then did his own move, "Ground hugging chop chop canon!" He said as he launched his hand at Zoro. "Cabaji I'll hold him and you finish him off!"

"Done!"

Zoro watched from the corner of his eye as the hand came towards him, 'Damn it' he thought. Then before the hand could grab him Zoro saw Luffyko step on the hand giving him the time needed to dodge. He turned back to look at the girl who had saved him, yet again. "Luffyko."

"You bastard!" Buggy yelled as he held the end of his arm where pain was shooting up.

Luffyko looked at the pirate captain and gave a cold grin, "If your looking for someone to fight how about me?"

Zoro looked at his captain and knew she would be fine; she was powerful in her own way. He panted for air as Cabaji looked down on him. "I can assure you I don't need my captain's help to finish you off."

"Enough. I'm tired of this." Zoro muttered.

Cabaji laughed, "So you have finally given up have you? I must say I'm quite impressed that you lasted this long with such serious injuries."

Zoro glared at him and stood up, "I think you misunderstand, I'm tired of watching your boring little sideshow."

Cabaji glared at him, "I'm sorry I have disappointed you, allow me to show you my real swordsman skills. Die Zoro!" He yelled as he began his final strike.

"Oni Giri!" Zoro said as he cut down Cabaji.

"Cabaji!" Buggy yelled.

"I can't believe the Buggy Pirates were brought down by petty thieves." Cabaji said as he fell to the ground.

"We're not thieves, we're pirates." Zoro said as he fell to the ground. "Luffyko, I'm going to sleep." He knew he couldn't help her any longer, but something told him that Luffyko would be fine.

"Good! I'm looking forward to this!" Luffyko said with a grin as she faced Buggy.

"You guys are pirates?"

"Ya we are searching for the Grand Line." Luffyko replied as the pirate captain looked down at her.

"That's not an easy voyage you know and I don't think the likes of you can handle it. What are you going to do, if by some miracle you get there, go on a sight seeing tour or something?"

Luffyko answered with a straight face, "I'm going to be King of the Pirates."

Buggy looked at her dumbstrucked, "You can't be serious you idiot! If you are the King of the Pirates then I'm God! There can only be one King of the Pirates and obtain all of the world's treasures and that's going to be me."

"Your annoying." Luffyko said as she brought her hand into a fist, "Let's finish this."

Buggy brought his knives out and glared at the girl, "Seeing that straw hat brings back memories of him, and that makes my blood boil. So bring it on you wannabe pirate. You remind me of him. That damn red haired pirate."

"Wait what did you say? Red haired pirate? Are you tsaying you knew my old friend Shanks?"

"That's right I knew Shanks once."

Luffyko looked at him in shock, "Do you know where he is now?"

"I don't know, I guess that depends straw hat, maybe I do, maybe I don't."

"What are you talking about? Did you forget?" Luffyko asked tilting her head trying to understand what the man was saying.

"No I didn't forget you moron! I'm not going to just tell you where he is out of the kindness of my heart. You have to work for that."

Luffyko smirked and pulled her arm back, "Fine, I'll make you tell me."

"You can give it your best shot, but I doubt your chances. I doubt rubber can bounce back from a blade." Buggy said with a grin as he looked at the rubber girl.

Luffyko nodded seriously, "You're right."

Buggy grinned then got ready to attack, "Chop Chop rice platter!" He yelled as he became a swirling ball of blades. Luffyko easily jumped over it. "You can't move in mid air, can you? Too bad." He said as he threw his hands at her body.

"No your wrong." She said as she grabbed a pole and pulled her body out of the way.

Buggy laughed and admired her skills, "How interesting."

"Your not so bad either." Luffyko replied with a laugh as she pulled back her arm "But here comes Gum Gum Pistol!" She said as she stretched her fist at him.

Buggy dodged and smirked, "Neat abilities alright, but they leave you wide open. I'll carve you up!" He said until he realized what she was doing, "Chop Chop quick escape!"

"Gum Gum Sickle!" She yelled as she flew by his head flying off to prevent it from getting hit. Luffyko landed in the rubble of the building after her attack.

"Not good enough Gum Gum." Buggy laughed.

"Damn he keeps breaking into pieces." Luffyko pouted.

"Chop Chop Cannon!" Luffyko caught the hand and kept the knives away from her, "Separate." Sending the knives into her face making him laugh, "So runt want to give up yet?"

Luffyko sat up and grabbed her damaged hat sadly, "You bastard!"

Buggy looked at the girl who was now bleeding from a cut above her eye, "How's that? Was I not supposed to scratch the little girl's face?" He mocked.

Luffyko looked down at her treasure holding back her tears, "You bastard, no one damages my lucky hat and walks away from it alive. This hat is my only treasure and anyone who so much as lays a finger on it is going to pay."

Nami had come back to check up on her and felt bad, "And I thought there was nothing that could faze her, but look at her she' getting so upset about a hat."

"It seems that hat has some history to it." Buggy commented.

"That's right."

"Is it really all that special?" Buggy asked as he threw a knife at her which she quickly dodged leaving her open "In that case you should protect it!" Buggy yelled as he had his disembodied hand to cut through it with the three knives taking it back to him. He watched as Luffyko tried to recover it and then laughed at her attempt that landed her on her stomach in the dirt. "How is this old tattered hat a treasure? Treasure refers to sparkling gold, silver, and jewels. Those reflect the owners worth. Do you really consider this old tattered hat a treasure? You need to grow up!"

Luffyko glared at him, "Shut up when Shanks gave me that I made a promise."

Buggy glared at the hat and threw it down, "So your telling me this used to be Shank's hat? No wonder it looked so familiar. He always wore it when I knew him."

"So you and Shank's were members of the same pirate crew?"

"Ya back when we were pirates in training. That damn detestable red haired bastard." He said as he smashed the hat.

Luffyko charged him, "Shanks is a much better man than you will ever be! You don't have the right to call him comrade! And don't you ever badmouth him again!"

"Time for my chop chop quick escape!" Buggy yelled as Luffyko slammed her fists into his body his floating head began to choke from the attack. He reattached his head.

"I don't want you to ever you to say Shank's name around me again."

"I can say whatever the hell I want about Shank's." He said as the girl began to pull on his face.

"Tell me what happened, where can I find him now?" She threw him down and looked at her hat, "Damn it, how dare you tear up my treasured straw hat."

"Do you really want to know? He is the one person I loathe. I will curse him all my life. For the rest of my life as long as there is breath in my body I will never forgive him."


	8. Chapter 8

Luffyko stood there as Buggy told her his tragic story of his time with Shanks. After listening and finding out about how he got his powers and so forth Luffyko told him what she undersztood about his story, "So Shanks saved your life."

Buggy screamed at the girl unable to understand what he was trying to explain, "That's not the point I was trying to make! Because of him, my plan was delayed 10 years! I have realized if I can't grab treasure beneath the sea, I'll grab all of the treasure on land. With my splitting ability, so if anyone dares touch my treasures I won't let them live! My treasures unhand them!" Buggy screamed as his torso split off and charged Nami.

Luffyko watched as Nami ran off screaming and then looked back at Buggy's legs and then grinned. She pulled back and kicked him as hard as she could, leaving Buggy in so much pain his torso froze right before he could hurt Nami.

Buggy collapsed in pain and cried, "My…my balls…"

Luffyko grinned and turned to him, "Your opponent is me."

Buggy attempted to cover his pain and glare at her, "Didn't your father teach you that's a dirty thing to do to a man."

Luffyko just gave a grin, "Well I'm a pirate." She then looked at Nami, "Hey you better drop that treasure and run, or he will come after you again."

"No! Leave the treasure you say? Definitely not. Why should I throw away my treasure?"

Buggy looked up at the thief then, "Your treasure?"

Nami glared down at the pirate, "Of course it is! I'm a thief that steals from pirates! Now that I have stolen from one, of course all the treasure is now mine."

Luffyko hit her fist to her palm, "I see."

Buggy's eyes rolled behind his head he was angry, "Bullshit! Those are my treasures! You think that it's yours just because you stole it? What kind of education did you have?"

Nami looked down on him, "A crook lecturing another crook is ridiculous!"

"What?!"

Nami looked at him again and smirked, "I will bring myself down to the same level as you pirates."

"You better prepare yourself, Nami. Chop Chop Festival!" Luffyko watched as the legs in front of her split into pieces and then rushed over to where Nami was. Buggy turned back at her and laughed evily, "If you think you can help your friend you better do it now, rubber girl."

"Shit, he split into even more pieces!" She heard a noise then and looked down and saw his feet slowly walking along. "What the-" She bent over and grabbed one.

"Nami…Give me back my treasure!" Buggy yelled chasing after the terrified thief. Suddenly he burst out laughing causing Nami to scream in terror. Luffyko stopped tickling his foot and began to pull the skin causing pain, which in turn, made Buggy make an even more terrifying face.

"How much more can you take?" Luffyko wondered as she began to bang his foot down into the ground.

Buggy looked back at the girl causing him all the trouble, "Stop that!"

Nami used her new treasure to hit Buggy, "The one who should stop is you!"

"You've returned my treasure to me!" Buggy said evilly as he grabbed the bag.

"Let go. Let go. Let go." Nami chanted as she tried to shake his hands off of the treasure."

Buggy just grinned evilly, "You should ask my body then."

"Let go!"

"You're the one who should let go. Die!" Buggy yelled as he had his hands drop the bag and attack Nami with two daggers.

Luffyko had already started running towards the pair, "Didn't I tell you I was your opponent?" She asked as she jumped into the air and extending her leg until her foot crushed Buggy's face slamming him into the bag of treasure, breaking the bag and sending him hurtling down the street treasure laying around him. "You can take that kick as a gift from the mayor." She said with a grin.

Nami looked at the scrawny girl who had saved her yet again. "Thank you. You saved my life."

"Ah, no problem!" The girl said then turned to look at Buggy, "Oh ya the map."

"I have it." Nami replied with a grin that quickly disappeared as Buggy got back up.

"It's not over yet, rubber girl."

"He's still alive?" Luffyko said in amazement as Nami tried to sneak away.

"Shut up! How dare you inflict such pain on me!" Buggy yelled. "I won't forget this! Reassemble Chop Chop Parts!"

Buggy and Luffyko stared at one another while the few parts reassembled. Nami had tied down the rest. "Looking for these?" She asked with a smirk.

"My parts!"

Luffyko just began to laugh, "No wonder you are a thief!" She pulled her arms back and grinned, "Gum Gum Bazooka!" Her arms slammed into mini Buggy sending him flying out of the city. When her arms returned she threw them up in the air happily, "I won!"

Nami looked at the girl a little weirded out then sighed. She saw the girl look down at her hat and sadly pick it up. "Your straw hat got all torn up."

Luffyko gave a brave smile, "It's alright I can still wear it. I'm not angry anymore because Buggy has been beaten."

Nami didn't believe her. She had remembered her face when it had been torn. "Don't worry. I'll help you patch it later."

Luffyko turned and stared at the girl, "What?"

"Nothing. Anyways I had to split it in two. Can you help me carry one? It's really heavy."

"You never give up do you?"

"Buggy is really selective about his treasure, so all of his treasure is really high quality. All of this is probably 10 million beli!" She looked at her and then pulled out a map, "Here, the map to the Grand Line. You wanted it right?"

"You're giving it to me?" Luffyko said with surprise as she looked at the rold up map with excitement.

"You did save my life."

Luffyko took it and rubbed it against her face, "Thank you Nami! I finally got a map of the Grand Line. Alright!" She cheered as she struck her victory pose. "So does this mean you're joining us?" She asked with a large smile.

Nami hid her smile and put her hands on her hips, "Didn't I tell you that I won't become a pirate?" She then let herself smile, "But I guess it's okay. Being with you guys will get me lots of money. However, I'm only working with you. Remember that."

Luffyko grinned and nodded then headed over to her sleeping swordsman, "Hey Zoro, wake up!" She bent over him and began to pat his head trying to get him up, "Zoro, let's go."

"Is the fighting over already?" He asked as he began to sit up. How injured had she gotten? He was afraid to look at his captain.

"The map and the navigator, I got them all!"

Zoro finally turned and looked at Nami then felt his head spin, "Oh crap, I'm going to faint. I can't move either."

Nami looked at him in disbelief, "Of course you can't move! If you could move you guys wouldn't be human."

Luffyko turned around to look at her, "Why was I included?"

Nami about strangled the rubber girl, "You are the strangest of all of them. Anyways, we should go check on the mayor."

"Oh right. We should wake the old man up as well."

"You there." Luffyko looked up and saw all the villagers in front of her. "You're not from here are you?"

"Yeah and you?"

"We are the residents of this town. What happened to the pirates? If you know anything please tell us."

Nami looked at them and gave a sigh of relief, "Oh so you are the residents. I though you were more enemies."

"Ohh mayor! What happened? Get a hold of yourself!" "Hey mayor." "He fainted!" "The pirates most of done this!" "Why did they do such on awful thing."

"Sorry, I had to knock him out."

"What."

Nami stopped smiling and looked at the girl dumbstruck as the villagers began to glare at them, "Hey you didn't have to say that!"

Luffyko turned and looked at the girl, "But you saw it."

"I did see it, but it was for a good reason." She said and then gasped as she saw the townspeople standing with their weapons.

"Why did you harm our mayor?" "No execuses." "Who are you people? Are you connected to the pirates?" The townspeople questioned waiting for a response.

Nami looked at the townspeople frightened, '_Such a scary death vibe._' She thought, '_If we're not careful and use the words pirate or thief..'_

Luffyko interrupted Nami's thoughts when she answered the townspeople, "We're pirates."

"We thought so!" The townspeople yelled.

Zoro just started laughing at her response, typical of Luffyko not even thinking of what would happen. Nami on the other hand began yelling at her, "Idiot!

"Pirates, how dare you cause so much destruction to our town!" "We won't forgive you even if you are kids." The townspeople yelled.

Luffyko walked calmly up to Zoro, who looked up at her, "What now? They won't listen to anything we have to say anymore."

Luffyko just grinned and grabbed Zoro hoisting him over her narrow shoulders, "Run!"

"Don't let them get away!" "How dare they harm our mayor!"

Nami ran with the two bags of treasure and glared over at the girl carrying the swordsman, "Why do you always speak without using your brain?"

"This is a good town. For the sake of their mayor, everyone's doing their best to fight." Nami looked back to see the truth in the girl's statement as she continued, "No matter what excuses we came up with, they'd still be just as angry. Hey turn here." She said as she quickly turned down an alley.

Nami had to back track "Wa…wa…wait! Don't just tell me at the last second!"

"They ran into the alley!"

Luffyko and Nami had to jump over ShuShu who was sitting in the alley, "ShuShu?" Nami wondered as the dog stood ground in the middle of the alley.

"Dog?" Luffyko wondered as the townspeople came into the alley only to be barked at by ShuShu. ShuShu continued to bark despite their protest making the girl smile, "Thanks doggie!"

Nami took deep breaths when they finally made it to the docks where their boats were, "Thank goodness, we somehow escaped thanks to ShuShu. Why do we have to be in this situation?"

"It wasn't that bad." Luffyko replied, "We finished what we wanted to do."

Nami had to give that to her, "Well that's true…"

Luffyko saw the ship next to theirs and grinned, "Hey is this your ship? Nice!"

Nami looked at the girl and shrugged, "Really? I don't think so. I took it from a bunch of stupid pirates."

"How dare you say that!" Three men stood up in the ship and looked down at the two girls, "We've been waiting for you, thief."

"Who knew we would meet again on this beach." Another said.

Nami began to laugh nervously and Luffyko looked at her with a smile, "You know them?"

"Yeah a little."

The first man walked closer eyeing the small girl, "Not just a little, we go back a long ways." He looked the girl over who was carrying someone and looked at Nami with a grin, "So you got friends? We'll guess we will have to teach all of you a lesson then, about stealing other people's stuff." He looked down at the person the girl was carrying who wasn't listening and began to slap them on the head, "Hey you! Don't pretend to sleep! Hey!" He raised his head to see Zoro waking up. He quickly backed up with his two pirate buddies and screamed.

Luffyko laughed as they got on their boats and dropped the sails, "Alright let's go!"

Zoro looked at Nami's boat and saw the marker on it, "Your ship still flies Buggy's flag?"

Nami shrugged, "It's because it was their ship. I'll take it down some other time."

"Hey wait you brats!"

They all turned towards the dock and saw the old mayor standing there. "It's the mayor." Luffyko commented.

"Sorry! I'll return the favor someday!" He called to them and waved as they began to sail farther away.

Luffyko just giggled, "Don't worry about it! Take it easy!" She sighed and leaned back in the ship, "Hopefully he sees the treasure bag there."

"What did you say!" Nami screamed turning around to see if she could see the bag anywhere. "You left a treasure bag behind?"

"Ya"

"That bag was worth 5 million beli!"

"But if they are going to rebuild their town they are going to need the money."

"But that was my treasure! Do you know how hard it was to steal it?" Nami yelled as she grabbed the girl and tried to push her head into the water between the two boats, "Why did you have to do that!"

"Stop it I can't swim!" Luffyko cried out trying to sit back out of the water.

"That's why I'm doing it!"

"I realize what I've done and I regret it now!" Luffyko cried out trying to calm the raging Nami.

"Who cares! You should just die!"

"Wait! Stop it or I'll really-"

"How dare you fight back! Then I will really push you into the sea."

Zoro watched the two and laughed as Nami continued to try and drown the captain. Suddenly a splash was heard and Zoro looked over to see Nami standing there slightly embarrassed and a drowning Luffyko, "Damn it." He said, however his annoyance couldn't be shown through as he laughed as he pulled the girl out.

"Ah thanks Zoro, I thought Nami had actually managed to kill me."

Zoro sighed and then looked back at his Captain. "Luffyko!" He yelled as he turned around, "Nami you are a girl, deal with her."

Nami looked over and saw Luffyko wringing out her vest, "I swear Luffyko I will teach you to be a girl, if it kills you!"

Luffyko looked up in question as Nami tried to drown her again, "Nami! Stop you already almost killed me today!"

Zoro couldn't help but turn around to laugh again as a shirtless Luffyko tried to keep away from the water and her navigator trying to drown her. "Shut up Zoro." Nami snapped making him laugh harder, "put on your vest Luffyko." She warned.

Luffyko refused to move her hands from the side of the ship, "But if I do I will drown!" Luffyko cried out as Nami continued to try and push her under the water.

Zoro laughed and then watched the horizon, for better or worse they had a navigator and a map of the Grand Line. Time to follow their dreams.


	9. Chapter 9

Luffyko watched as Nami fixed her hat carefully. "It's looking better!" She cheered blocking the sunlight for Nami.

Nami sighed and continued her work, "I am fixing it. Get out of the light so I can see." Luffyko moved and Nami could see again. Nami made a few more corrections only to have the light go away again, Luffyko peering over at the hat. She looked over at Zoro who was sleeping and sighed, why can't he deal with her, or can he? "Luffyko go play a game with Zoro while I finish your hat. That way you can have fun while you wait."

Luffyko hit a fist to her hand, "That's a great idea!" She jumped back over to the other boat and began to poke Zoro, "Hey Zoro! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

Zoro groaned and opened his eyes, "What now?"

"Nami told me to play a game with you while she works on my hat!" Luffyko said with a grin.

Zoro shot Nami a glare, who just stuck her tounge out at him, and then turned back to Luffyko, "Fine what game are we playing?"

Luffyko thought for a moment and then grinned, "A staring contest!"

Zoro sighed and agreed, "Fine. Ready, set, go." He started at her and she stared back. After a bit his gaze started to wander and stopped at the small cut above her eye. She had been hurt in the last battle. Not that he could say anything, she came out in better condition then he did, but he had still let her get hurt. That and her treasured hat had been torn. He looked back into her eyes, which were starting to strain from the contest and couldn't help but feel guilty, until she began to pull on her cheeks to try to get him to laugh and blink. Zoro smirked and returned the gesture, which made the girl blink. "I win."

Luffyko just started at him in amazement, "You did something funny! Do it again!"

Zoro looked at the girl feeling slightly terrified, "No."

"Do it!" She said with a creepy grin as she got closer, "I demand it as captain!"

Nami had finished her hat then hit the girl in the head, "Shut up, here's your hat I fixed it."

Luffyko stared at her precious hat and gave a small sigh, "Thanks Nami." She looked over the horizon and stood up full of energy, "Onto the Grand Line!"

Nami hit her in the head again, "There is no way we can get to the Grand Line in our condition."

Luffyko and Zoro stared at her in surprise then Luffyko, who had started eating an apple looked down and nodded, "That's right I love apples and all, but we need more food, like meat or pie…oh or a meat pie!"

"Some sake would be nice." Zoro said as he leaned back against the boat.

Nami glared at him and threw an apple at him that Luffyko caught on the rebound and began to eat it. "What are you two talking about? I'm not talking about food or drinks! I'm saying that the Grand line is the most dangerous place in the world. There will be lots of pirates looking for the One Piece, and they will definitely have powerful ships."

Luffyko just shrugged, "Then let's just make them our friends."

Nami just shot her a glare and continued, "Not only do we lack manpower, but our ship is clearly not equipped. There's no way we could make it their safely."

Luffyko nodded, "Looks like we still need a chef and a musician."

"Musician?" Zoro questioned and then burst out laughing.

Nami looked at the two like they were idiots, "Are you stupid?" She sighed and turned back to her map, "It looks like if we head south, there's a small inhabited island. It would be best if we found a good boat there."

Luffyko grinned, "Ah time to eat a meat pie!"

"Don't forget the sake."

"You guys!" Nami cried out in frustration. She sighed the island should be coming into view soon, at least she hoped. She needed a break already from the two idiots. She watched as their boat began to drift away from hers, "You two if you don't stay close to me you two will get lost at sea." She groaned out.

Luffyko just laughed, "We would be fine."

"I have all the food."

"Zoro! Get us back in position!" Luffyko ordered as he dropped an oar onto her head, "You can help too."

Nami sighed how did she get stuck with the two pirates who knew nothing of navigation. "How on earth did you two sail before this?" She asked in wonder.

Luffyko just laughed, "I just went wherever the boat took me." Nami got lost in her thoughts as she saw Luffyko in a boat just circling in the middle of the ocean. "The whirlpool was a bit tough, I thought I was a goner!"

"Whirlpool?" Zoro asked as he envisioned the girl clinging to the mast as a tiny boat got sucked into the whirlpool.

"Ya I got in a barrel and took a nap. When I woke up I was on a ship!"

The two looked at her in amazement and both thought, '_She has the Devil's luck.'_

"Why are you two giving me that look? Hey there is a seagull! Let's chase after it!"

Nami hit her in the head, "No we are going south there should be an island-"

"I see the island!" Luffyko cried making Nami jump backwards.

"Don't yell like that, idiot! You gave me a heart attack!"

Zoro just laughed and then looked towards the island. '_I don't think I've ever laughed this much,' _he thought as he watched his captain began another argument with Nami.

"Land!" Luffyko cheered as she jumped off the boat and grinned.

Zoro stretched out and yawned, "It's been a while since I've been on land."

"Ah so the village is farther down that way?" Luffyko asked Nami when she saw a small trail leading out from the beach.

"Ya, although it is a small village."

"Food…food there should be some food in the village right?" Luffyko asked as Nami shot her another glare.

"Can you not think about food all the time?"

Zoro stopped stretching when he heard a noise coming from atop the cliffs. He quickly went to his swords, "Careful, someone's here." He saw something shoot towards Luffyko and quickly turned around, "Watch out!" Luffyko awkwardly danced in place trying to avoid the objects shooting into the sand by her feet. Nami ran for cover and Zoro turned to find the enemy as flags appeared from the bush surrounding them.

"Wow! This is awesome!" Luffyko cried out in amazement.

"This isn't the time to be an awe!" Nami snapped at the other girl.

A boy appeared with a long nose and crossed his arms across his chest, "I am the leader of the great pirate crew that conquered this village, Usopp. Everyone praises me and addresses me as Captain Usopp! If you're thinking of attacking this village, you should just save your strength. Otherwise, my 80 million men will crush you like a little bug!"

Luffyko's jaw dropped, "Incredible!"

Nami groaned at the foolish antics of the girl, "It's a lie."

Usopp grabbed his head and began to scream, "She saw through it!"

Nami smirked and looked at the other girl, "See, he said I saw through it."

Usopp's body began to sway in impossible ways, "She saw through it, this is bad."

Luffyko's amazement was crushed, "What he was lying!"

"Damn you, 80 million might have been an exaggeration, but I have many strong and powerful companions!"

"All three of them?" Nami smirked as the three children jumped up and began screaming to run.

Usopp watched as his men deserted him, "Hey you guys don't run!"

"A pirate that uses a slingshot. I've never heard of such a thing." Nami said as she picked up one of the metal balls he had shot at them.

Luffyko laughed and looked at Usopp, "You're quite an interesting fellow."

Usopp glared at the pirate girl who laughed at him, "Hey you, don't laugh at me! I'm a man of great pride." He pulled out his slingshot and pulled it back ready to shoot the girl with the metal ball. "Because of my great pride, everyone calls me Usopp the proud. You saw me earlier, my skills with a slingshot is better than a pistol."

Luffyko pulled her hat down, "Since you mentioned pistol, now that you have drawn your weapon, are you ready to bet your life on the land?" She asked as she looked up at him from under her hat. "It's not a tool to scare people."

Zoro smirked and readied his sword, "This person who stands before you is a real pirate."

Usopp looked at the girl and couldn't help, but tremble. That and the swordsman smirking at him, they looked ready to kill. He couldn't help but drop to his knees, for being as unintimidating as she was, she was still a real pirate. "As I thought, a true pirate's speech is much more intimidating."

Luffyko smiled and then looked at Zoro and began to laugh, "I just repeated what someone said. The pirate I deeply respected Shanks."

"Shanks? Shanks you say? The red haired Shanks, you know the great pirate?"

"Ya, Yasopp was it? That's your father's name."

Usopp screamed and fell down and looked at the girl, "It's true that Yasopp is my dad's name. But how do you know that?"

Luffyko's stomach growled and she grinned, "I'll tell you, but first I need food."

"And sake."

"Guys we are here for a ship!" Nami reminded, but sighed as the three had already started walking away.

"Oi Nami catch up." Zoro called with a smirk as the navigator screeched at him. "So where is this place, I need a drink."

"And food!" Luffyko cried out happily, "I want a meat pie today!"

Zoro looked at his captain and shook his head, "What is with the meat pie?"

"It sounds good. Besides my apple crave is gone." Luffyko said with a grin.

"Apple crave?"

"Yep I wanted apples, now I want meat pies."

Zoro just shrugged as his odd captain and continued following the boy. "So do they have good sake?"

"Food is more important." Luffyko interrupted as they arrived to the restaurant.

Usopp waited till the girl had her food then, "So Luffyko you knew my dad?"

Luffyko took a large bite of the meat pie and nodded, "Ya I met him when I was young. He was on Shank's ship."

"He was on Shank's ship?!"

"You look just like him. When I first saw you, I thought you were his son."

"Really?" Usopp looked towards the ocean and smiled, "I never though that my dad would be on such a great ship."

"I don't know what his situation is now, but he's probably still with him." Luffyko said as she finished the pie then grabbed an apple. "Your father's marksmanship is truly elite. Usopp, I've heard the story about you time and time again that my ears almost fell off. Yasopp is a great pirate."

"That's what I thought! To disregard his own life and indulge himself in the cast and endless sea…I feel so proud of my father."

"This makes our discussion much easier!" Nami said with a grin, "Hey, is there anyone who can sail a ship or acquire a large ship in this village?"

Usopp sighed and looked out at the village, "As you can see, this village is pretty small. I'm very sorry but there is no way I can fulfill your request."

"On top of the hill, there is a very large mansion." Zoro pointed out.

Nami cheered and turned to Usopp, "Hey, do you know them? I wonder if we can ask them to give us a little financial support."

Usopp glared at her, "You can't go there." He realized he had said to much as they all looked at him, "I…I suddenly remembered that I still have to do something. I know the owner of this shop quite well so go ahead and order anything you want. I'll be on my way then!" He said as he ran out the door.

Nami watched him go, "In such a hurry too." She turned back to see Luffyko still stuffing her face. "Really how much does it take for you to be full?"

Luffyko just giggled and began to eat a leg of meat, "It's so good, how can I be full?"

Nami sighed and took another small bite of her meal, "I swear if I didn't know better I would think you were a boy."

Zoro held back a snort. His captain may act like a man, but her body was definitely of a woman. He took another drink when three children yelled, "The Usopp pirate crew is here!

"What's going on?" Nami wondered as she looked at the three little boys.

"The captain is not here."

"Don't tell me…"

"Hey you pirates, what have you done with Captain Usopp? What have you done?"

Luffyko finished her drink and tapped her bloated stomach, "That was some good meat!"

The children looked at her horrified, Nami gave her a look of disgust, "Meat?! Don't tell me, the captain was…" Nami couldn't help but laugh at the childrens thoughts, "Wh…what!? What have you done?" They asked in terror.

Zoro gave a scary grin to the children and said, "Your captain was eaten!"

The children screamed and looked at Nami, "Ahh, a witch!"

"Why are you looking at me?" She yelled at the terrified children. The children fell down and she glared at her two companions, "It's all because you guys were being stupid."

After they explained to the children it had been a joke they followed them to the mansion, "So it was only a joke."

Luffyko looked up at the mansion and gasped, "It's huge!"

"If you can't find the captain around this time, he's probably here." One of the kids explained.

"What does he come here to do?" Luffyko wondered.

"He comes here to lie!" One of the kids said with a grin.

"That's not something he should do!" Nami lectured the children.

"There's nothing wrong with it. It's different, right?" Another child asked.

The other two agreed, "Yeah, it's different."

Zoro looked down at the three kids, "What do you mean by that?"

The kids began to tell them about the girl who lived there, Kaya, and how she was sick. They went on to tell her that Usopp lied to her to make her laugh and cheer up.

"So he's a good guy." Luffyko concluded.

"Ya! I like the way he keeps meddling in other people's business."

"I like the way he overreacts to everything." Another child said.

"I like the way he lies!" The last kid said with a grin.

"And has that lady cheered up?" Nami asked.

"Yes, she has."

Luffyko grinned then, "Good! Then let's go in and ask her for a ship!"

Zoro looked at his captain with an eyebrow raised, "The one that cheered her up is Usopp."

"Getting in is an impossible task." The kids explained, "There are very large bodyguards guarding the gate at all times."

"Where's Luffyko?" Nami wondered when she didn't see the female pirate next to them.

"Alright let's go in and have a look."

Zoro looked at her and got a bad feeling about her plan, "Don't tell me you're…"

"Gum Gum-"

The kids began to spring as she held on to the top of the fence and her body lowered towards he ground, "What's going on?! She stretched her arms all the way down there!" They said in horror.

"Sorry to intrude!" Luffyko yelled as everyone grabbed on to her. She launched everyone and herself into the sky landing on the ground. "Successful landing!" She called out from the crater in the sidewalk she had made from her fall.

Nami glared at her from the grass, "No it wasn't!"

A pale girl looked out from a window and called out, "Ar…are you alright?"

Usopp quickly tried to come up with a cover story, "It's okay…They heard how great I was, so they came to join the Usopp Pirate crew."

Luffyko stood up and brushed the debris from her clothes, "No we didn't. We came here to ask a favor of you."

"A favor of me?" She asked in surprise.

"Ya, we want a large ship."

"You there!" A voice called out. "What are you doing?" A butler asked as he walked towards them.

"Kurahadol." Kaya said as she saw the man.

"You're trespassing and causing trouble here." He said as he adjusted his glasses with his palm.

Luffyko looked at him and tilted her head, "Who's this guy?"


	10. Chapter 10

Luffyko looked up at the slim girl as she leaned out the window to talk to the caretaker, "Excuse them Kurahadol, these people are…"

"You don't need to tell me. I will listen to your explanation later. For now, I'd like all of you to leave this are at once. Or do you people have something to say?"

Luffyko nodded and gave a grin, "Yeah, we'd like a ship see…"

"Definitely not." Kurahdol said as he readjusted his glasses. "Usopp, I hear the rumors about you all the time, you are pretty famous in this village, aren't you?"

"Really?" Usopp laughed as he tried to keep himself from falling out of the tree he sat in.

"So, you have faced all kinds of danger before. That's really something at such a young age."

"You may call me Captain Usopp. That way my name can spread around."

"Captain eh? I've heard stories about your father."

Kaya saw Usopp flinch, "Kurahdol, cease this at once!"

"You are just the son of a low-class pirate."

Luffyko looked at him from under her hat, her normal grin gone. Zoro looked at her and silently let his hand drift to the hilt of his sword, ready for anything.

"Although anything you do won't be much of a surprise, but would you please stop pestering our lady."

Usopp glared down at the caretaker, "You called my father a low-class..?"

You come from a totally different world from our lady. Do you want money? How much do you want?"

"That's enough, Kurahadol!" Kaya yelled. "Apologize to Usopp at once."

Usopp looked at the girl and saw how far she was hanging out the window, "Hey Kaya, that's dangerous."

"Why should I apologize to such a barbaric man, my lady? I am only speaking the truth. I do sympathize with you." He told Usopp, "You must be filled with hatred. Hatred for your father for abandoning you and your mother to look for treasures as a pirate!"

"Kurahadol!"

"You bastard, you'd better stop insulting my father!" Usopp yelled as he jumped from the tree using a line attached to the branch he had been sitting on. Once the hook retracted he closed his gadget bag and glared at the caretaker.

"Why are you so agitated?" Taunted Kurahadol as he adjusted his glasses. "It's times like these that you should just do what you do best; lie. Just say that you have nothing to do with your father, or he's not you birth father."

Usopp lunged and punched the caretaker sending him to the ground, "Shut up!"

"See that?" Kurahadol asked as he sat up and readjusted his glasses, "He immediately turned violent. No wonder they say, like father like son."

"Shut up! I'm proud that my father is a pirate! Being a brave warrior of the sea, I'm very proud of him! Although it's true that I'm a plain old liar, but a pirate's blood flows within me! That kind of honor is not something that can be imitated. I'm a son of a pirate!"

"Pirates are warriors of the sea? You're pretty naïve to have that ideology. But this does prove that barbaric blood flows through you. You like to lie and would resort to violence whenever something upsets you. Your ultimate motive is to acquire our lady's wealth and that's why you get close to her!"

"What are you saying?"

"Whether or not you have any ulterior motives, just the fact that your father is a pirate is proof enough!"

Usopp grabbed the butler's collar and got ready to punch him, "You've insulted him again!"

"No stop Usopp!" Kaya yelled from her window. "Please don't resort to violence again. Kurahadol is not a bad person. He's only doing it for me, he's overprotective."

Usopp let go and his hand was slapped away, "Get out of here. Don't ever come to this house ever again."

"I get the picture, I would've left even if you didn't tell me. I won't come back here."

Zoro watched as Usopp left and the kids began to yell at the butler only to have Luffyko join in. He sighed and lightly hit her in the head, "Why are you butting in all of the sudden?" He saw the children get scared and Luffyko tried to walk over to him so he quickly held her back.

"Let go of me! What the hell?" Luffyko yelled as Zoro's strong arms pinned her against his chest.

Nami tried to help bring the girl under control only to raise the amount of screaming going on in the garden, "All of you leave at once!"

Zoro and Nami managed to drag Luffyko and the children away. "What a mean guy." Luffyko said with her cheeks puffed out.

Nami sighed and looked at the girl, how little did she know about the outside world? True the man had been rude and said awful things, but that's life. How did she not understand? "That's just the way some people are."

"Well I don't like him." She said as she crossed her arms. She looked and saw Nami and Zoro not paying attention and slipped off and began to look for Usopp, "He needs to be cheered up." She said with a grin as she ran off looking for him by the coast. When she saw him she found the perfect way to cheer him up. She silently climbed a tree and held on with her feet as she dropped down in front of him, "Yo! So this is where you were." She said with a grin as the startled boy moved away from her.

"Oh it's just you." He breathed in relief then glared at her, "Can't you greet normally next time?" She just stared at him with her silly grin in place and Usopp looked at her with suspicion, "What is it? What do you want?"

"Nothing really." She said as she dropped to her hands and began to do a walking handstand away from him till she landed on her face, "ouch." She muttered. She let them sit in silence till she began to bang her sandals together.

"Damn caretaker. How dare he insult my father."

"Yeah, I don't like him either. It doesn't matter what anyone says about Yasopp, he's still a great pirate." Luffyko said as she watched the ocean.

Usopp grinned and moved to sit beside the girl, "Isn't that so? In this age of pirates, my father sails the ocean without knowing what's ahead. I feel really proud of him. However, that bastard dares to step all over that pride. I will not forgive him for it."

"But will you ever get to that lady again?" Luffyko asked.

"Don't know. If that caretaker comes to me and begs, I might consider it."

"That caretaker?"

Usopp nodded, "Yeah, that caretaker." He looked at her then realized she was pointing at him. He quickly pushed her head down and leaned over the cliff to see him, "That caretaker, why is that caretaker here?"

"Owe! That hurts!" Luffyko whined as Usopp tried to silence her so he could over hear the coversation between Kurahadol and another man. "Who is that weirdo?" Luffyko asked as she looked at the strange man with the caretaker.

"I don't know. I've never seen him before. Who is he?" He listened to the conversation until they talked about the name of their plan, "Did he say assassinate?"

Luffyko looked at the horrified face of Usopp and then looked down at the two men, "Hey what are they talking about?"

"Keep quiet! That's what I want to find out." Usopp felt the dread and terror sink into his body as heard the caretakers true intentions and identity, "This is bad. We just overheard something really bad."

Luffyko just clapped her feet together, "Hey, what's going on? It seems there is going to be trouble."

"Weren't you listening to their conversation? We're done for, they're real pirates!" Usopp said as he looked at the tiny girl. She may know Shanks and her and her friends had said they were pirates, but they had to have been lying. The swordsman looked like the only one who could be a pirate. The girl beside him was clearly too small to be a true pirate. "That Captain Kuro is said to be the smartest and also the cruelest among all the pirates. I heard that he was caught and executed by the Marines three years ago. But Captain Kuro is alive! Living as the caretaker, Kurahadol! He's been planning on how to inherit Kaya's wealth since three years ago! The village will be attacked, and Kaya will be in danger! Terrible! This is really terrible!"

Luffyko looked at the boy and then looked down before standing up. Usopp looked over and saw her and gasped. "Hey if you stand up they will see you!"

"Hey, you down there!" Luffyko yelled, "Don't you dare hurt the lady!" Usopp collapsed when she yelled, what could she be doing?"

"Who are you?" The stranger asked.

Usopp grabbed her arm and tried to drag her away, "You idiot! They'll see us! Hide, quick or they'll kill us!"

"Well…well if it isn't Usopp."

Usopp screamed, "I've been spotted too!"

"Did you hear anything?"

"No no...Did you say something? We are just passing by. We didn't hear anything."

"I heard everything." Luffyko said. As Kuro gave a look to the man he stood with.

The man sighed and walked forward, "Guess it can't be helped. Hey you two, look carefully at this ring."

"What?" Luffyko wondered as she looked at the strange ring the man held.

"This is bad. It's a weapon duck!" Usopp told her as he tried to hide himself.

"With one, two, Jango, you will fall asleep. Got it?"

"Hide quick or we're done for!"

"One…Two…Jango!"

Usopp watched as the girl pitched forward, "Hey what's wrong, you'll fall." She continued forward and fell from the cliff hitting headfirst. "Shit…that guy…he killed her!" Usopp listened as they continued their plans not carrying if he overheard. "Tomorrow…"

"You hear that Usopp?" Kuro asked with a smirk. "Nothing you do will affect my plan."

"Damn it…" Usopp said as he stood up and backed away from the cliff. Once he was away from the cliff, he ran towards the village. The girl had died, she had been cheering him up and now she was dead. However, he wouldn't let anyone else die, he would save his village and Kaya.


	11. Chapter 11

Zoro stood up as the sun went farther away. Luffyko had been gone for awhile, _'I hope she didn't get lost.'_ "The captain sure is late." One of the kid's said as they waited for their captain. He couldn't help but smirk, they were like him looking for their late captain. '_At least mine is good looking_'he thought. He tuned out the children as they continued talking about their long nosed captain, he didn't really care for the liar.

"Look there!"

Zoro turned to where the kids shouted and saw someone running up the trail, "What's this?" Usopp was running towards them, however his captain was not with him, "Isn't Luffyko supposed to be with him?"

"Captain!" The kids yelled out as he ran through them on towards the village.

"Where's Luffyko?" Nami asked as he ran by her, "Didn't she go to the coast with you?" However, Usopp kept running making Nami watch after him, "You suppose he is still angry about having his father insulted and all?"

"Beats me..." Zoro replied drifting off, but Nami made a point was he still mad? Luffyko usually cheered anyone up, whether they wanted to be or not. He listened as the kids said they thought something might have happened and he couldn't shake the feeling off that something had happened. Luffyko wouldn't have just left Usopp leave like that. "Hey do you know how we get to that coast?" The kids where in a small huddle talking about what they think had happened and what they needed to do. Zoro walked up annoyed that they had ignored what he had said, "I got that already, just tell me how to get there!"

Nami jumped down from where she had been sitting and looked at Zoro, did he feel what she felt? She couldn't help but shake the feeling something had happened to Luffyko. She looked again at the swordsman and couldn't help but feel there was something else to his annoyance. "Kids please take us to the cliff." She followed beside Zoro as the children lead them to the cliff, "Do you have a bad feeling about this?"

Zoro looked down at the navigator who was twisting the ends of her shirt. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "It'll be fine, she's strong." If only he could listen to his own reassurance. He knew she could handle herself, but she still worried him.

"Here it is. Captain is always coming here to mend his heart." One of the kids said as they looked around. "The straw hat girl isn't here." Another kid said.

Nami put a foot on the edge of the cliff and looked out, "This place is pretty steep." She said as she looked down.

"Nami be careful there."

"Look…look there!" Nami cried out when she saw the body of the girl.

Zoro saw his captain on the ground unmoving, "What?" He said as the children pointed out that it was his captain. How could she be down there unmoving? A flashback of Kuina came to him as he was told she had died from falling down stairs. Not again he rushed down to the shore Nami close on his heels. He stopped when he was close to the girl terrified of what he would find out.

"Luffyko? What are you doing down here?" Nami asked hoping for a response. The girl had clearly landed on her head, monster or not she had to be dead.

"She fell."

"And died on impact!" Another kid continued.

Zoro thought he heard a noise then but the kids continued to talk about how she had died, "Quiet." As they quit talking he heard the sound again. He then gave a smirk, he's captain was alive. "This girl…" He took one of his swords and poked her in the butt. He's smirk grew as her hand twitched scaring the children and Nami.

Luffyko woke up from her nap and stretched, "Morning!"

Nami smiled in relief and gave a small wave as Zoro held back a laugh at her carefree attitude. The kids on the other hand wanted to know about their captain. Zoro and Nami listened as Luffyko told them what Usopp had heard. "The village will be attacked? And Kaya will be killed?" The kids asked in disbelief. "Is this for real?"

Luffyko placed her hat on her head and remained serious, "Yup, that's what they said."

Zoro lightly tapped her leg with his foot to get her attention, "By the way, how did you end up snoozing off here?"

Luffyko looked up and smiled, "About that, I thought I was still on the cliff all along…now, how in the world did I get down here?"

Zoro kept his expression calm, but inside he felt a rage. If it hadn't been for her rubber body she would have died. _'That caretaker and his friend_ _will pay'_ he thought, _'No one will hurt my captain if I have a say about it.'_

Luffyko as the kids ran off after talking to Nami, "Oh no!"

"What?" Zoro asked in surprise as his captain looked worried.

"If we don't hurry and get ourselves some food, the shop owners will be gone and we will have no meat pies!"

Zoro looked at his captain and then hit her in the head with his sheath, "This is no time to be thinking about that."

Nami nodded, "Zoro's right we need to go back to the village and help Usopp."

Luffyko stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes, "I agree! Let's go!" She followed the kids and Nami and found herself beside Zoro who was staring off into nowhere, "Yo, Zoro."

"Huh?" He muttered and then looked down at the small girl beside him, "What is it, Luffyko?"

"Nothing was just wondering what you were staring at."

"Nothing I was just thinking."

Luffyko just gave him a smile and nodded and continued to follow the path in silence when the kids started to yell captain. Luffyko looked up and saw Usopp and smiled and waved, "Yo!"

Usopp blinked and then rubbed his eyes, when he still saw the girl he ran up and looked at the girl closer, "Hey, you're still alive!"

Luffyko blinked in surprise, "Alive?" She tilted her head trying to understand what he was trying to get at, "Ya, I just woke up."

Zoro on the other hand clenched his hand around his sword. It was how he thought; they had tried to kill her. He couldn't wait to fight those bastards; he would make them regret their attack. When he returned to the conversation he saw the boy lie to his pirate crew on how it was a lit. _'Smart choice, children should not be worrying about this.'_

Nami waited till the children left before she spoke, "Come on, we need to treat those injuries." When they arrived back at the boat Nami began to clean and bandage his gunshot wound, "There, that should do it."

"Why did you say all that?" Luffyko asked him.

"Cause I'm a liar. No one would believe me in the first place. I was to naïve."

Zoro stepped forward then, "Even if you are naïve, the truth is the truth."

"Those pirates are really gonna attack, right?" Nami asked.

"Yeah, there's no doubt that they'll be coming. But everyone thinks that it's all a hoax." He said and then buried his head into his hands, "All the villagers think it's just going to be like every other day." He then drew up his courage and sat up, "But I will stop those pirates at the coast and make sure it was just a lie! This is my duty as a liar! Even though they shot my arm…chased me all over the village…this is still my village. I love this village. I want to protect everyone!"

Zoro gripped his sword; he would get his revenge. He also decided he would help the boy, he gave a grin then he had showed some courage, "Never thought that you were that kind of guy. Ditching your friends so that you can face the enemy by yourself."

"Let me get this straight, all the pirate's treasures will be mine." Nami said as she put a hand on her hip.

Luffyko rolled her shoulder and cracked her neck, "Alright, we will lend you a hand."

Usopp began to cry, "You guys are…willing to fight beside me? Why?"

"Because they have more people." Luffyko said as she continued to stretch out her arms.

"If you're scared, you can reconsider." Zoro said as he looked over the boy.

Usopp stood up and pointed to himself, "I'm scared? It doesn't matter how many there are, it's fine by me! For I am the brave warrior of the sea, Captain Usopp!" His knees continued to shake and he punched them, "Damn! Damn! This is no small matter! They are the Kurahadol's band of pirates! Scared, of course I am. So what of it? I won't accept anyone's sympathy. Just go home. Go home!"

"We are not laughing." Zoro said with a straight face as he looked at the younger boy. "We're helping you 'cause we admire your courage."

"If it was sympathy, would we put our lives at risk?" Luffyko asked him seriously.

Usopp straightened up when the girl spoke, "Damn…you guys…" He wiped his face then nodded, "Listen we need a plan. Follow me." He lead them to the break in the cliffs, "Alright, they're planning to attack the village tomorrow morning from this very coast. However, this is the only route that leads to the village. The rest are cliffs. There's no other way to attack. In other words, if we hold firm to this slop, the village won't be attacked."

"I see…that sounds simple." Nami said as she looked around the area they were.

"Talking's easy, but we'll need true strength for the battle." Usopp said in a knowing way, "What are you guys capable of?"

"Slicing."

"Stretching!"

"Stealing!"

"I'll be hiding!"

"You will be fighting!" The three yelled as they grabbed him to make sure he couldn't run away.

"Just joking, I'll back you guys up. Now it's time for my plan."

Luffyko looked at Zoro once the plan was all set. A barrel full of oil was spread on the pathway, making it impossible to walk up. "Good it's perfect." Usopp said with a grin, "Now they can't get up this slope. The oil covered all over should do the job. After they slip on the oil, we jump in and wipe them all out."

"Oil, eh?" Nami said as she walked down to look at the masterpiece.

"Anyways, all we need to do is defend this slope!"

"But we should be careful not slip on it ourselves." Nami warned, "Or else it'd be like getting trapped in quicksand."

"You're kinda smart coming up with this trap." Luffyko said as she kept placing a foot on the oil.

Usopp grinned, "Of course I am! I have complete confidence in myself with my traps and shooting my slingshot."

Zoro looked at the horizon to see the sky lightning up, "It's almost dawn. They'll be coming."

They waited as the sun came up and started to climb into the sky. Luffyko sat with her elbows on her knees, "Not here yet? And it's such a nice day too. What do you think happened?"

"They'll definitely come, they are just a little late." Usopp said confidently.

Nami sudeenly heard something and tried to figure it out, "Hey you guys…I'm not sure if it's just me hearing things…but, there seems to be people shouting somewhere." After a pause Nami nodded, "I can definitely hear them alright."

"Now that you mention it…"

Zoro could see the boy start to panic, "Oi, what's wrong?"

"There's an exact same slope up north!" Usopp said as he gripped his head. Don't tell me…"

"Maybe we're at the wrong coast?" Luffyko asked worriedly.

"Because they met at this coast, I assumed they'd come from this side." Usopp said as he looked at the pirate girl in horror.

Luffyko gave a panicked expression, "Hey, then we oughta hurry or they'll attack the village! Where's the coast?"

"Head straight north from here and it should take you about three minutes." Usopp explained, "The landscape is very similar to this one. We just need to stop them from climbing up the slope, but…"

"Don't worry, we'll make it somehow." Luffyko said with a nod.

"Oh crap!" Nami yelled, "The north coast that you mentioned is where our ship is anchored! All of my treasure will be taken!"

"I can be there in less than 20 seconds!" Luffyko said as she took off running. "Head straight north, head straight north." She chanted as she ran, this was taking her longer than she thought, she was heading straight north right?

Usopp continued to run towards the coast, that girl was fast, but she was still a girl. _'Captain Usopp to save the day!'_ he thought with a grin then continued to run forward, he couldn't even see Luffyko anymore.

Zoro growled as he slipped down the oil again, Nami would pay for this. He needed to get up there and joining the battle, he had to make sure Luffyko was safe. He slipped back down the oil, "That's it." He muttered and grabbed his swords and used them to get up the slick oil. "Now he said straight north…"

Luffyko panted as she saw the village, "Why am I out of the village? That's weird. He said head north so I ran to where it's cooler." She continued to run and then she saw a whole bunch of men appearing on the horizon, "That's where they are!" She said as she ran towards them rotating her arms as soon as she got close enough she yelled, "Gum Gum Gatling!" When she stopped she saw another bunch of men sent back by Zoro, "Hey Zoro."

"Captain."

Usopp watched in amazement as the small girl and swordsman threw the men down the hill. Nami sighed in relief, "Finally they made it."

Zoro looked down, his bandana covering his eyes. He placed his sword on his shoulder and scowled at the pirates, "What's all the ruckus?"

Luffyko took a couple deep breaths after a run, "how should I know?" She asked from his side. "But I'm still pissed off."

Zoro remembered what had happened and glared at Nami, "Nami! How dare you trample me down the slope!"

Luffyko glared at Usopp, "Usopp, you bastard! You didn't tell me which way was north!"


	12. Chapter 12

Usopp looked at his heroes and back at the pile of men behind him, "You guys are that strong?" Luffyko nodded seriously in response.

"You guys are way to slow." Nami scolded.

Zoro glared at her, "It's thanks to you, dragging me down that oil slick."

Nami started to stand up, "That was an accident. There was nothing I could do about it. Rather than both of us slipping, it's better to have one us make it through."

"Than why not you!" Zoro yelled.

"Go north, don't go north…you never even told me which way was north!" Luffyko yelled at Usopp.

"What?! You're the one who ran off, full of confidence!"

Luffyko sighed, "That happened unconsciously…out of whim." She paused off as she saw Jango talking to his men, "Eh? What's he up to?"

"Hypnosis. Making them believe that they're strong…that's just stupid." Nami said as she watched the men line up in front of him. She watched as he finished his one, two, Jango and then the men were suddenly stronger. One broke the cliff with one punch. "No way!"

"The clidd's totally destroyed!" Zoro said in shock, "What power!"

"They're really hypnotized." Nami said in amazement.

"That's just one of them, and there are so many!" Usopp said worriedly.

Zoro watched as the men began to charge, "You two get out of the way! We'll take it from here!" He waited for Luffyko to respond, but when she didn't he tried to get her attention, "Hey Luffyko!" He looked at her and saw her jaw was clenched, "Luffyko?" Suddenly she started screaming like she was mad, "You're hypnotized too?!" He yelled. He watched as the girl charged and sighed, no one would be able to stand a chance against her. She really was an idiot. He watched as she began to punch all of the pirates out of her way easily knocking all of them out of her way.

Nami sighed as she watched the girl, "What a simpleton."

Zoro sighed and watched as she began to growl, which he thought was as terrifying as a kitten, and then chase after the pirates running away from her. After she out ran them and passed the hypnotist, Zoro questioned what she was doing, "Where's she going?" Then proceeded to watch in amazement as she began to rip the mast of their ship.

Meanwhile, Nami was helping Usopp while cheering for her female comrade, "Go Luffyko!"

Zoro shook his head in disbelief then saw Jango doing another trick. Before he could try to call out a warning Luffyko had fallen asleep, dropping the large mast on top of her and towards a few pirates. Zoro forced himself to remember she would be okay, _'She's made of rubber; she will be fine. I just need to defeat these guys so I can get her out from there.'_

"Looks like they are all wiped out." Nami commented on the other girls work.

"Looks like it."

Usopp couldn't believe the uncaring attitudes they showed towards the crushed girl, "Hey, we should be more concerned of Luffyko being under that thing."

Zoro just smiled to the boy, "She's not gonna die. You had better worry more about your own injuries." He looked over the beaten boy and couldn't help but hold back a laugh, he was worrying about his captain when he couldn't handle a couple of lousy thugs. Luffyko was way out of his league. He got pulled back from his thoughts when two new people came before Jango. He waited when he heard they were ordered to move him and watch as they insisted they couldn't.

Usopp looked at them in surprise, "What's this? Aren't they supposed to be their trump card?"

Nami looked at them suspiciously, "He looks completely different…what are they up to?" She watched as the slimmer guy charged, running like a weakinly, "How can he possible fight like that?"

The man running towards him began to cry out, "Hey you! Be prepared, cause I'm going to tear you apart with these very claws!"

"What am I supposed to do with this guy?" Zoro asked out to anyone who would listen. He looked down the slope at the man and yelled, "You! If you don't stop, I'll kill you!"

"That is if you can kill me." He said seriously as he pounced.

Zoro barely blocked him, "What?!" He glared at the man in front of him, '_This bastard.'_

"You took me too lightly." The strange cat man grinned then jumped way holding two of Zoro's swords on his back, "You blocked it well. I was acting so well too. I may be tiny, but you'd better not take Sham of Meowban Brothers lightly."

Zoro noticed his swords on his back and looked down to see they were indeed missing. "Lose something?" Sham asked with a grin. "I wouldn't know anything about it."

"Return those swords to me."

"Return it? Isn't your sword in your hand?" Sham grabbed the swords and gave a cruel grin as he threw the swords away, "These will only get in the way. Now…I feel much lighter."

Zoro charged, "How dare you throw my precious belongings!" He cut the man down and ran towards his swords when he heard a meow, "What?" Before he could do anything Sham had both of his wrist and was sitting on his back.

"What were you trying to cut? I'm a cat after all." He said as Zoro landed skidding on his face and chest. "Come Buchi! Your turn!"

"Gotcha, Sham!" Buchi yelled as he ran and jumped high into the air. "Watch this! Got him!" He yelled as his foot destroyed the rock around him.

Zoro took a deep breath as he had rolled away right before the attack. "Damn! He got away." Sham said as he wiped some dust off from his roll away.

"Hey! Hold him down properly Sham!"

"Sorry, my bad. I didn't expect him to have such brute strength."

Zoro stared at the two, '_You gotta be kidding me. If he had actually hit me with that, all my bones would've shattered to pieces.'_

"He won't get away this time!" Sham said with a grin.

"Of course not."

Zoro stood up and readied his own sword. "I'm not too familiar with one sword techniques, but…" He readied his sword. He had to win, Luffyko was under the mast asleep. The sooner she was freed the better.

"Let's go Buchi!"

"Gotcha, Sham!"

Nami watched as Zoro managed to deflect everyone of there attacks, "This is bad, Zoro's under heavy pressure." When she saw Usopp prepare to fire his slingshot she turned to him, "What're you trying to do?"

"If they keep attacking him like that, there's no way he can win. I'm covering him. Lead Star!" He yelled as he released the small lead ball. He watched then in horror as Zoro put himself in front of it giving the Meowban brothers a chance to strike.

Nami watched as Zoro took the blow and got rolled back till he returned to his feet, "Why are you hitting our own people!" She demanded.

"That's not what happened. He's the one who moved to get hit."

"He did it on purpose?" She looked down to see the swordsman cut up who was now glaring in their direction.

"You moron! Usopp! You wanna die?"

Nami watched as the attack continued on Zoro and she realized what he had meant, "Maybe…we're the ones who were saved. If you had hit them with the slingshot, then those two would've probably directed their attacks toward us instead."

"That guy…This is no time to be worried about us!"

Zoro clenched his teeth as he continued to block their attacks, '_Damn, if only I had one more sword.'_

Nami stood up, she knew the swordsman needed his swords. "I'm going to fetch his swords. If Zoro gets them back, then he can defeat them!"

"Then I should!" Usopp said unwilling to see another girl go into the battlefield.

Nami just turned and grinned, "Don't push yourself, you can't even stand up straight." With that said she jumped down onto the slope and began to run towards the swords. Right when she got to them she saw a foot standing on them then a sharp sting, of the metal ring Jango used, in her shoulder. She felt herself fall to the ground and put her hand on her wound.

"What do you want with these swords" Jango asked then screamed in terror. With the scream everyone looked up to see Kuro standing at the top of the hill. "There's a good reason for this…" Jango stammered out.

Kuro readjusted his glasses and looked up at the sky, "The sky's been bright for a long while. Why didn't you act according to plan? What the hell's going on?!" He yelled as he looked down the battlefield. "Never would have thought that you guys would be tripped up by these brats. The Black Cat pirates aren't what they used to be, Jango!"

Jango looked at his angry captain and tried to get him to understand, "But, didn't you say that these pesky kids wouldn't be a problem?"

"Yes, I did. So what? I knew they would come and try to stop us. But what I did not expect was…that you fools would all be so damn useless!" He yelled in fury.

"We are…useless?" Jango asked angrily.

"Who's useless?"

"How dare you say that, Captain Kuro!" The Meowban brothers said as they sharpened their claws, "It's true that you were strong once before…but that's a three year old tale." Sham said as he glared at his former captain. "When you were fooling around in this village, we weren't just hanging around doing nothing!"

"That's right!" Buchi said, "We've pillaged countless villages and defeated many pirate gangs."

"What are you implying?" Kuro asked giving them a chance to think about what they had said.

"After these three years, do you…have enough skills left to win against us?!" The Meowban Brother's yelled as they charged him.

Zoro watched as they ran past him and Jango tried to call them back, "Stop! Buchi! Sham!"

"You're not our captain anymore! Sorry, but we're gonna attack you now." They said as they got ready to kill their former captain. However, there attack just struck a bag he had been holding, Kuro himself was gone.

Zoro watched shocked as Kuro appeared behind them wearing gloves with long swords attached. "When did he get behind them? And that weapon…" He watched as he disappeared again then reappeared with his swords around them, ready to kill in a seconds notice.

"You guys were right, I'm not as fast as I once was. I've become more humble after staying on this island for three years. I'll give you five minutes." He moved the swords away from them, "If you don't finish them off in five minutes, then all of you here will be killed by me." He warned as he stepped away to watch them.

Jango nodded, "Five minutes, we can do this. If we beat him, then we'll be able to get past this slope!"

Zoro looked back to see Nami standing holding her injured arm. He heard the Meowban brothers charging him and he turned to see them, "The guy who's barely able to fend off our attacks, we'll finish him in five seconds!" They yelled as they drew closer.

"I'm counting on you Meowban brothers!" Jango said as he saw red hair go past his vision.

Nami marched up and placed a foot on the end of his swords then kicked them towards him. "Zoro!"

Zoro turned and saw his swords, "Why you! Don't go kickin' my swords!"

"Where's my thank you?" Nami asked with a smirk.

Zoro leapt up turning to see the swords. He grabbed them before he landed making a full turn around to face his opponents, "Thank you." He said as he bit down on his sword.

"Useless even if you have three swords!"

Zoro got ready to attack, "You guys just don't get it. Tiger Trap!" He yelled as he cut the two.

"Four minutes to go." Kuro reminded from the top of the hill.

"Using three swords and three sword techniques are totally different things." Zoro stood up as he saw his enemies fall then turned to Kuro, "Don't worry, in less than five minutes, there won't be anyone left. I'll take care of them all."

Kuro just adjusted his glasses, "Three minutes." He saw Buchi move and ask to be hypnotized, "He's still alive. Guess you're a bit soft."

Zoro looked at the living pirate, "He's probably saved by all that fat." He dropped his sword from his mouth when he realized he was being hypnotized and his muscles were growing. Buchi would take a step and the ground collapsed underneath of him. "Hypnosis again, eh? He's gunna be more of a pain now. He tore the ground apart in his original state." He flipped his sword up into the air with his foot and grabbed it as he twirled around and readied his swords. "What is able to do after powering up?" He watched as Nami ran off and then saw Jango throw a disk at her. "Nami! Watch out!"

Nami had just stepped on Luffyko when she turned to see the disk coming straight at her. Right before it his she felt someone grab her foot and knock her to the ground.

"Nami! How dare you step on my face!" Luffyko yelled as Nami fell.

Nami watched in horror as the ring went into Luffyko's face knocking her head back. Nami closed her eyes the girl couldn't survive that.

Zoro's heart skipped a beat when saw Luffyko sit up. He relaxed when he saw she had bitten it, "Was it just bad timing or a mere coincidence?"

Nami saw the ring hadn't moved and began to see cracks forming, "Luffyko?" Luffyko broke the ring and stood up. Nami gave a huge grin, relieved the girl was still alive. "Luffyko!"

Luffyko held her cheeks, "That hurts!" She looked down at Nami and glared, "Nami, that hurt you bastard!"

"That wasn't me!" She yelled back then looked at the girl with relief, "It wasn't-" the pain washed over her and she fell back and held her shoulder.

Luffyko looked at the girl in shock when she realized she was injured, "Nami, your shoulder's hurt?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine." She said as the blood on her shirt was spreading out from under where her hand could cover. "Anyways, I've done all I can. I'll leave the rest to you. This battle…we can't lose to them!" Luffyko nodded and then Nami continued, "For the sake of my treasures."

Luffyko pouted, "I shoulda known." However the reference to the money made her feel better, Nami would be fine.

"Go for it for the sake of my treasure."

Luffyko picked up her hat, "Okay! That is your style." She walked forward, her face serious. She held down her hat as she walked towards the pirates who ran away from her.

Zoro watched as his captain walked forward and couldn't help but smile as the pirates ran away from her. She sure was terrifying, breaking that metal ring with her jaw.

"You with the straw hat!" Jango called out causing Luffyko to stop and look at him.

Luffyko looked up the slope and saw Kuro, "What? That evil caretaker's here too?"

Kuro saw the girl and his eyes narrowed, "That girl…didn't she die when she fell from the cliff?"

Luffyko watched him as she saw Kaya come up from behind him and almost got cut down. She watched Usopp save Kaya and then as Kaya tried to convince Kuro to stop. She clenched her teeth as she listened to what Kuro said and watched as Usopp tried to kill him only to have the swords surround him. She pulled back and punched him from down the beach, crushing his face. As her arm returned to her she smirked and held onto her upper arm. "Since you hate getting punched so much, I'll give you a hundred more for free."


	13. Chapter 13

Nami watched as the pirates backed farther away from Luffyko everyone was trying to figure out how she had punched Kuro. Nami stood up, "I'll leave the rest to you. I'm gunna retrieve my treasure."

Zoro watched as the three children appeared and began to beat Kuro, "What do they think they are doing?"

Kuro stood up once the children left him then walked over and kicked Usopp down the slope. Then he turned to the girl, "That was a pretty good punch you threw at me there. You possess the power of the Devil's Fruit, don't you?"

Luffyko gave a mocking grin, "Yeah the rubber fruit. I'm a rubber girl."

Kuro looked down a the girl and adjusted his plan, "Jango, I will take care of this kid. Please take care of the Lady Kaya. She will write the will as planned. Then kill her! And the three ants over there are an eyesore!"

Jango began walking forward, "Understood."

Zoro lowered his sword in front of Jango's path, "Stop, I won't let you pass me."

"Buchi!"

Zoro watched as the pirate jumped high in the air ready to stomp him again, "That again?" He dodged only to have the ground under him break, making him trying to find sturdy ground. He heard someone from his side and barely blocked Buchi as he was thrown into the cliff. The cliff broke under the pressure and Zoro held him at bay with his foot. He watched as Jango moved closer to Kaya and the children then heard Usopp to take Kaya and run. _'What an elegant speech, it's the same as telling them to run away.'_ He watched as Jango went to attack only to get shot by Usopp.

Kuro glared as Jango turned around, "Hurry up and get them, you idiot!" He then turned to Usopp, "It's useless. I know exactly how bad Lady Kaya's condition is. She won't be able to escape Jango. You might want to go after them. If you can walk past this slope that is."

Zoro glared at Buchi, "You've already lost to me once. Didn't I tell you not to bother me anymore? Outta my way!" He said as he kicked Buchi with his other leg knocking him away. He unsheathed his other two swords and struck Buchi down again. He looked over and saw Luffyko standing by him, her usually grin gone. Her hat covered most of her eyes making her look intimidating. Zoro threw his swords in the air and caught them in their sheaths.

Birds flew from the forest after a noise, "What was that?" Usopp wondered.

"Who knows, Jango's got them covered, maybe you should take a look for yourself. However, you may be too late already."

"You bastard! You've been living under the same roof for three years! Don't you have any compassion for her?"

"None, like I said, Kaya is only part of my plan. After her death, I might then thank her."

"Hopeless bastard." Zoro muttered.

"I didn't plan to save him in the first place." Luffyko stated before she yelled, "Usopp! You go and look for them. Leave everything here to us."

Zoro smirked and looked at the boy, "Leave it to us."

Kuro watched as Usopp struggled to stand up, "Oh you can still move? Not bad

"Shut up, I won't let you have your way! You dare betray the villagers and Kaya's feelings! Do you think you can simply do as you please?" He took another step forward then collapsed, "Damn it, I can't move a limb."

Kuro started to laugh, "You really amuse me. I, betrayed them? Are you kidding me? Everything was planned. This isn't like playing some pirate game, where you'd go around pretending to be the captain! So just stay put and don't move. Well, even if you do manage to catch up with Jango, you're no match for him. You'd be much safer here."

"Even if I can't…Even if I can't, I want to protect…I still want to protect them, for I am the Captain of the Usopp Pirate crew. I am a brave warrior of the sea! I won't allow you to lay a single finger on any of the villagers!"

Luffyko began to hear the pirates make fun of him so she grabbed a huge boulder and threw it at them. She crouched down on top of it and glared at them, "What's so funny?"

Zoro sighed and picked up Usopp, "I'll take Usopp and go after the hypnotist. Is that a problem?"

"Nope! Get going!"

"Sorry."

Zoro sighed, "It would've been fast if I'd gone alone, but without your help through the forest, I won't be able to find them."

"Hey you fools, who gave permission to get past this slope?"

"That would be me!" Luffyko called out as she shot her hand out at him. "Go! Zoro, Usopp!" She followed her hand and launched herself at Kuro, "One more punch!" When she missed she felt him behind her and dropped to the ground, "Gum Gum Power Kick!" She missed him yet again and she cursed, "Damn, he vanished again." She stood up and saw Zoro was gone and sighed, "Well at least they got past."

Kuro looked at the small girl, "Before we fight, I'd like to ask one thing. As an outsider, why are you getting yourself involved?"

Luffyko gave him a small grin, "Because there's a man here whom I don't want to see dead."

"That's simple. But is it okay? For this will be the reason for your death!"

Luffyko gave a grin, "It's fine, but I'm not gonna die."

"Let me show you death!"

Luffyko grabbed his shoulders and started to shoot towards him when he tilted sending her into the ground. She circled back and launched her leg out, "Gum Gum Whip!" When he jumped over it she launched her fist, "Gum Gum Pistol!"

Kuro smirked as he stood on her arm, "I'm getting bored."

"You bastard!" She yelled as Kuro ran up her arm and kicked her in the face knocking her into the ground.

Luffyko cringed and got back up, "Damn, my mouth got cut."

Kuro glared down at his men as they began to cheer form him, "Don't call me by that name! You still don't get it, do you? For this is my plan to completely be rid of the name Captain Kuro. I've had enough. The days when I had to plan everything for you guys, who only knew how to make a ruckus! Enough of those government dogs that kept chasing me for the reward! I can't take it anymore! So once my plan succeeds I will have achieved my goal. I will have money and a tranquil life. You get it now, girl? This plan, which has taken three years, will not fail! My plans never fail!" He lunged at her only to have Luffyko move the boulder between them, catching the swords in it. "It seems that you can do more than just stretch yourself." He said in shock. It was unreal how much she could lift with the tiny body she had.

"Of course, I'm well trained, to be a pirate!" She said as she crushed the boulder with her hands till it was easy to move then she snapped his swords and grinned, "You can't take it anymore, you say? If you're so afraid of the fame on the sea, then you're not qualified to be a pirate!" She said as she slammed the crushed boulder into Kuro's body. "If you wanna compare ambitions, then mine is much greater. I will be the King of the Pirates!"

_Meanwhile_

"To the left I said go left!"

Zoro growled but moved the way he was told. He didn't like being out here with Luffyko fighting Kuro. Kuro had swords; he should have been his fight. It was this boys fault he wasn't there fighting beside her. If he wasn't so weak, no if he hadn't been so weak. Getting injured by the Meowban brothers. _'Luffyko will be fine, she's strong and she knows how to fight. She would be more upset if I didn't help Usopp now.' _"Alright let's do this."

Usopp nodded and tried to push the girl out of his head. It was all his fault she was fighting Kuro by herself. If only he was stronger, "Not that way! The other way!" Zoro cursed but changed directions again, _'I can't think about her now I need to focus on saving Kaya.'_

_Back with Luffyko…_

Luffyko smirked as she looked down at Kuro, "Only five left of those weird swords of yours.

Kuro slowly got up, "You fools, shut the hell up! I will exterminate all of you later. Of course, Jango as well." He listened to his men tried to reason with him and he smirked, "You don't need to worry about the plan anymore. As long as your bodies are here, I can prove my innocence. I never planned to have you guys leave this village in the first place. It would've been troublesome. I don't want anyone to find me still alive and kickin'." He listened as his men were shocked that he had planned to kill them the entire time, "That's right, I planned it way back when I was still Captain Kuro, three years ago. Everything…Everything was planned!"

Luffyko looked down at the pirates, her hands on her hips, "Are you all morons? What a dumb pirate crew."

Kuro looked at the girl in surprise, "Dumb, you say? A pirate crew is merely a bunch of dogs, which aren't fit to live in a civilized society. Without a plan laid out for them, what can they do? It's always been my plans that they follow. Shipmates are just pawns at a captain's disposal. Whether they live or die, it's all up to me! No matter how big the obstacle is, my plan must proceed. They are supposed to die to fulfill my plans." He looked at the girl and couldn't help but gasp as he saw the disgust and disappointment she had in her face for him. He growled, "This is the fate of pirates! Don't you dare lecture me, girl!"

Luffyko was unfazed by his outburst, "Even if a captain like you had tens of thousands of men. You can never win against Usopp."

"What'd you say? I can't compare to that make-believe captain?"

"That's right."

He laughed then, "That's really funny. Don't think too highly of yourself just because you took care of one of my hands." He said as he looked down at the thin girl. "Where can he surpass me? Tell me!" He yelled as he disappeared.

"Composure." Luffyko said with a grin as he reappeared behind her, "You don't know the real meaning of being a pirate!" She said as she planted a leg forward then whipped her arm around behind her, backhanding Kuro into the cliff. The force of her hand returning launched her into the air and she landed crouched ready to fight.

"You dare insult me? If you really wanna know what a real pirate is like, then let me show you right now." He fixed his hair and gave an evil grin at the girl, "How terrifying a pirate is when he's been to hell and back countless times!"

Luffyko watched as he began to walk forward, his body leaning with each step he took. She turned and began to watch as his men panic and beg, "What is going on? He's just swaying back and forth?" She turned back to look at him and saw he had put himself in a trance.

"Out of the Bag Attack!"

Nami had just appeared on top of their ship when Kuro started his attack, "Now then, it should be over right about now." She looked down and saw everyone standing in place, "No one is moving? Is it over?" She watched as a pirate suddenly got killed. "No one was around…"

"How did he get killed?" Luffyko wondered in shock as she watched as more of them died then a rock got cut beside her, "This time it's the rock." Luffyko watched in shock as their captain cut up the pirates, she didn't even blink when his sword cut into her chest. She watched and felt as some of her bangs were cut away, "Reveal yourself, caretaker." She muttered as she closed her eyes to the carnage feeling the swords cut her stomach and wrist. All she could hear were the screams of his men, "What do you take your men for?!" She screamed in rage.

Nami stopped and stared at the girl who had been cut on arms, a leg, and her stomach and chest. "Luffyko…" Nami watched in horror as the rocks around her were cut up yet Luffyko remained unmoving, until the claws cut her stomach sending her back bleeding.

Luffyko clenched her teeth and grabbed, she knew where he was now. She got his collar and wrapped her arm around his and threw him over her shoulder, her hat blowing away from the impact. "Found you." She smirked.

"You bitch." Kuro said as he got up. "You should've just stood still and let me finish them. Look, because of you, all my beloved men are half dead. It would've been more humane to kill them off." He stood up and looked into the girls eyes, "What now? You look like you've got something to say."

Luffyko nodded, "Ya, I will never become a person like you."

"It's not that you won't, you can't." He said with a smirk as he raised his cat claws to her face, "Not with that talent." He waited and just saw her stare at him unblinking, "Furthermore, you're gonna die right here. You're going to feel he agony of being cut into pieces and then die." He gave her a cruel smirk, "I'll treat you with special care, I won't hold anything back when I work on you."

Luffyko saw him go back into the trance and ran towards him, "I don't thinks so!"

"Out of the Bag Attack!"

Luffyko stood and watched as the rocks got cut up around her when the blades cut into her shouder. She waited then felt it she ducked back and saw Kuro in front of her smirking. Before he went to stand behind her. "You tired?" She asked, "Your trick has too many useless movements."

Kuro glared at the girl, "Don't get cocky." He adjusted his glasses, "Up 'til now, I was just toying with you." He smirked and looked over the girl, her vest was in ribbons and was barely doing its job. "You'll receive special treatment. I'll let you have a taste of what fear is. Then I'll slowly work on you." He said as he looked down and began his trance again, "Out of the Bag Attack!"

Luffyko extended her arms and managed to grab his ankle and pull him into the ground. When he got back up she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist and she grinned. "Let's see you run now."

"Shit! Let go you bitch!"

Luffyko just grinned, "With this, your three years of detailed planning has come to an end!"

"What did you say?" He demanded as he felt her limbs tighten around him, "Let go!"

Luffyko ground her teeth together and headbutted him as she heard the pirates cheer for her. She threw her head back to them and glared at them, "Don't cheer for me!" She turned and looked at Kuro and yelled, "Gum Gum Bell!" She head butted him sending them both flying into the air. She watched as Kuro landed hard on the ground and she caught herself before falling.

"She beat him, she actually beat him!" "Not even the marines could do anything about him?" "Who are you?" The pirates asked in wonder and amazement. How had such a small girl beaten Captain Kuro?

"I'm Monkey D. Luffyko, Against a pirate who'd discard his name and run away from the sea…There's no way I'd lose to such a guy. A true pirate would never give up his name 'til the day he dies."

"Luffyko, I'm not sure if I've ever heard that name before…" A pirate said looking for someone else who might've.

"Remember my name for the rest of your lives! For I am the one who'll become the next Pirate King!"

"Don't you mean Queen?"

Luffyko glared at him and picked up Kuro, "Get him outta here!" She yelled and aimed for the pirate who dared to say Queen. "I will be the Pirate King, anyone who says different will answer to me. Don't you dare say that again! Get the hell outta here!"

Nami carried her treasure and ran towards the girl. She stopped and saw all of the injuries on the girl. She saw her fall and caught her, "Thanks for the hard work." She said as she worked on laying the girl down. "Even you'd be exhausted after a fight like that, wouldn't you?" She sat down and looked at the girl, "What were you so angry about earlier?"

"I don't like them. They're plain wrong. Companions are not meant to be regarded that way."

Nami saw her hat and picked it up, "What're you talking about? That's just how it is. Pirates aren't as noble as they are in your dreams. Captain Kuro is a standard example." Nami looked up at the sky, this was why she could like Luffyko; she had a completely different idea of a pirate.

Luffyko looked over at Nami then looked back up, "I want a meat pie."

Nami slammed the girl's hat over her face and pushed down, "Why I oughta…" She sighed and loosened up, "I'm glad you are okay."

Luffyko smiled at the girl and then forced herself to sit up, "We still need to see if Zoro and Usopp made it.

"We did." Zoro called down and saw the girl lying there. He couldn't help but feel relief that she had won, however he felt his blood boil over all the cuts on her back and arms. He looked over the landscaping to see cuts into the rocks everywhere. He sat down not allowing himself to get close to the girl, he didn't deserve any comfort, he had left her.

Usopp came a little later and grinned, "Thanks! Without you guys, I wouldn't have been able to protect this village."

"What're you babbling about?" Zoro said as he looked at the boy, "If you hadn't risked your own life for this, I wouldn't have done anything at all."

"Same here!" Luffyko called out.  
Nami just hugged her treasure, "All that doesn't matter now. I've got my treasures now."

Usopp laughed and looked over the ocean, "Thanks to this incident, I've finally decided upon something. I'm going to sea."

Luffyko laughed and finally stood up. She turned towards him and gave him a smile, "Go for it!" She tilted her head when both Zoro and Usopp stared back at her, mouths wide open, "What?"

"Nami!" Zoro yelled as he finally managed to look away.

Usopp collapsed to the ground, "I'm no longer a boy, I am a man!"

Nami turned and gasped, "Luffyko! Your shirts ripped into shreds! Zoro give her yours!"

Zoro quickly tossed his shirt to Nami who threw it on Luffyko, "Yours is ripped too!" She screamed and then sighed as she folded the end of the shirt up and tied it behind the girls back. She looked over and nodded, "That'll work." She then glared at the girl, "Now what did I tell you about running around without your vest?"

Luffyko took a nervous step away from Nami, "That if you caught me again you would drown me…but Nami I had my vest on! What did I do wrong?"

Nami hit the girl with her staff making her fall to the ground then pocked her cheek, "If it's on and not covering anything it might as well be off!"

Zoro was laughing at the argument until Luffyko mentioned it was Kuro's fault. He stopped laughing and pulled his swords closer, _'That bastard…'_

"I'm sorry Nami, please don't kill me! I didn't do anything! Ah don't hit me!"

"Learn some female modesty!"

"No! Ow stop hitting me!"


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm hungry." Luffyko complained as she fell to the ground the last of her energy spent running from Nami.

Nami sighed, "Let's go get some food."

Luffyko went to stand up and fell back down, "Can't move. Too hungry."

Nami looked at the girl worried, was she more injured than she had thought? "Zoro can you carry her for me, let's head to the village and get some food and a doctor."

"No doctor just food." Luffyko ordered.

Nami glared at the girl, "You two are injured, I want to get my shoulder looked at. We are getting a doctor."

Zoro went over and picked up the tiny girl and placed her on his back. "Let me know if I'm hurting you." Luffyko wrapped her arms and legs around him causing him to blush as he felt their skin contact.

"You're fine! I'm just hungry!"

Zoro looked down and saw some of the cuts on her arms and legs, "Don't they hurt?"

Luffyko leaned up so she could lean over his shoulder and see his face, "Ya a little, but don't those hurt?" She asked as she poked one of the cuts on his chest.

"Ow! Why did you touch it?" Zoro hissed as his captain just laughed into his ear.

"No reason, but you don't need to worry about me, I'm strong."

"You're my captain, it's my job to worry about you." Zoro said as he walked he checked to make sure Nami was out of earshot before continuing, "Besides you can't even walk now."

"That's because I haven't eaten my second dinner, breakfast, second breakfast and lunch!"

Zoro laughed and tightened his hold on the girl's thighs, "Your something else Luffyko."

Luffyko snorted, "Of course, I'm going to be the Pirate King."

Nami turned when she reached the restaurant, "Hurry up you two!" She waited for them as she sat down and asked to have a doctor sent to them. "Alright you two eat up!" She said. As they finished eating and the doctor had checked them Kaya entered.

"Here you are!"

"Hey lady!"

Nami turned and smiled, "Is it alright for you to be out and about?"

Kaya walked over and nodded, "In the past years my illness was due to my highly depressed state over my parents death. Usopp took so much effort to cheer me up. I can't just remain that way anymore. I've caused you a lot of trouble. Thank you very much. I have prepared a little present for everyone. I hope that you would accept it openheartedly."

Luffyko followed Kaya down to shore where she saw the ship, "No way! Are you really giving this to us?!"

Kaya nodded, "Yes, please accept it."

Merry another one of Kaya's servants began to talk about it, "Although it is somewhat old-fashioned, I was the one who designed it. The ship's frame and it's triple mast sails are all part of the stern-centered control system. I call it 'Going Merry!' Now let me explain how to operate it."

Nami quickly stepped forward, "Just explain it to me it will be easier."

Luffyko looked up at it, "Sure is a nice ship! The figurehead of the ship is so cool!"

Kaya grinned happily, "I've prepared everything that's needed to set sail aboard the ship."

Luffyko turned towards the girl, "Thank you, that's really thankful of you!"

Zoro looked at her and looked away, "It's 'really thoughtful', idiot." He sighed then heard a scream and turned to see Usopp rolling towards them.

"Usopp!" Kaya cried out as she saw her friend speeding towards them.

Luffyko looked at him strangely, "What's he up to?"

"Anyways, let's just stop him." Zoro suggested. "He's heading straight for the ship." His captain beside him they calmly raised a foot and stopped Usopp and the large pack from going any farther.

Usopp cried as his face was smashed against the two, "Thanks."

"No problem." Luffyko responded. She dropped her foot and jumped on board her new ship and watched as the rest of her crew did as well. She turned back to see Usopp and Kaya saying goodbye to one another.

After he had told his goodbyes to Kaya Usopp turned to face the two girls and swordsman, "Goodbye to you guys too. I'll see you again someday."

Luffyko looked at him confused, "Why?"

Usopp looked at the girl and sighed, "Why? You're really slow aren't you?" He looked up at the girl to spell it out for her, "I'll be a pirate just like you, so we might meet on the sea one day."

Zoro pointed to their ship, "What're you talking about? Hurry up and get on."

Luffyko leaned over the railing, "We're already friends."

Usopp grinned, "Captain! I'm the captain!"

Luffyko glared at him, "Don't be stupid, I'm the captain!" She watched as he got on and then she jumped onto the mast, "Set sail!"

Zoro pulled her down, "You have to help."

Luffyko sighed and helped ready the ship for departure. After they had made it out Luffyko thought and then jumped up, "We need a flag!" She painted one and held it up only to have Nami and Zoro make a face.

Usopp shook his head, "You should have discussed it with me first. How can you forget this genius painter?"

Zoro crossed his arms and glared, but Luffyko just looked in amazement, "Genius Painter?!"

"I've had 50 years of experience painting on walls. When it comes to painting no one does it better than me."

"Incredible, 50 years!" Luffyko said in shock, "That means…you are an old man!"

Zoro smirked and just pushed her on a little more; "Maybe he has 5 or 6 grandchildren already."

"That's even more incredible!"

Usopp stared at Luffyko in disbelief and shot a glare at Zoro who was only making the situation worse. "Hey." He turned back to the job at hand and made his perfect flag. "Now take a look at this masterpiece! Tada!"

Luffyko frowned at him, "Who told you to make your own flag?" She said as she and Zoro punched him.

Usopp sighed and then showed him the real design. Skull and crossbones with a strawhat, "Well I guess it's something like this."

Nami looked at the glad, "Eh, this is pretty good."

Luffyko nodded, "That's good, I like it."

Zoro looked at it and nodded, it fit Luffyko with the strawhat, "So this is our mark from now on."

Luffyko nodded with a large smile, "Okay, Usopp, pain this on the sail!" She watched as it was finished and when it was she grinned, "It's perfect! Now the pirate ship Going Merry is complete!"

Usopp laid down, "I'm exhausted."

Zoro nodded and slowly fell asleep in the warm sunlight. However he awoke to the sound of cannon fire. He looked up to Usopp and Luffyko playing the cannon. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're practicing shooting the cannon. But it's harder than I thought it would be."

"I told you, let me show you how it has to be done." Usopp went to the cannon, "With out current distance…this is about right…Fire!" He watched as the reef they were aiming at blew up.

"Amazing! You hit it with one shot!"

"It really hit the target." Usopp turned to the girl and pointed proudly to himself, "Of course, when it comes to aiming, I know everything. So you believe me now?"

Luffyko nodded quickly, "You're the sniper from now on!"

"What? I'm not the captain?"

"I'm the captain!"

Zoro smiled down at the slim girl as she had started to chase Usopp around. "Nami wants us." He called as he walked into the cabin and sat back down to sleep.

"That's okay I'll let you keep the position of captain. However, if you do a poor job I'm gonna replace you." Usopp warned as he sat down.

"That's fine." Luffyko said as she looked over at Nami. "I've been thinking before going to the Grand Line, we need to fill one more position."

Nami looked up at her captain in amazement, "Right, and we have such a nice kitchen! If you pay me I'll do it." She said with a grin.

"It's an important personnel for any long trip." added as he closed his eyes again.

"That's right, it's someone that we must have on a pirate ship." Luffyko said with a grin, "A musician!"

"Are you an idiot?" Zoro asked in disbelief.

Nami grabbed her head, Luffyko never failed to destroy any hope Nami had in her, "What the hell do you think sailing is?! I thought you were actually saying something constructive for once."

Luffyko pouted as her crew questioned her, "But pirates have to sing."

Suddenly they heard crashing outside their ship and some yelled, "Come out you pirates!"

Luffyko ran outside to see a man kicking barrels over, "What, what?! Who are you?"

"Shut up! It doesn't matter who I am!" He said as he lunged at Luffyko.

Zoro looked up to see Nami and Usopp watching out, "How many of them are there?"

Nami looked out, "I only see one."

Zoro leaned back, "Then leave it to her." He listened to the voice, "That voice sounds familiar." He got up and went outside to see Luffyko toss the man against the ship. "Hey you! Aren't you Johnny?"

"Who is it? Calling out my name with no respect." He looked up to see Zoro and sat up, "Big Bro Zoro!"

"So it is Johnny."

"What are you here, big bro?"

Luffyko just tilted her head, "What? You two know each other?"

Johnny ignore her, "You're on a pirate ship, big bro? Why?"

"What's wrong? Isn't Yosaku with you?"

Johnny started crying and went to the side of the boat and brought up Yosaku. "Yosaku is…"

"He's ill?" Zoro said surprised.

"He was perfectly fine until a while ago. Then he grew pale and started to lose consciousness. I have no clue why. Lately, his teeth started falling out and his old wounds have started to bleed again. I just don't know what to do anymore! So I took him to that rocky island, to let him rest, but then your ship attacked us!"

Luffyko and Usopp's draw dropped in shock then they quickly bowed, "We're very sorry."

"If all problems could be solved with an apology, we wouldn't need the police. Isn't that right, patner?" Johnny said. "Big bro, is he…going to die?"

Zoro stared at him in horror, was he really going to die? Nami walked up and rolled her eyes, "Are you stupid?"

"What?" Zoro said as the woman went up to look at Yosaku. She began looking at him and then watched as Johnny grabbed her.

"What are you...What're you doing to my partner here? I'll kill you!"

"Luffy, Usopp, there are some limes in the storage, aren't there? Are you listening? Bring 'em to me, right now!" She watched as the two ran to get them and fought to get in. When they returned she had them squeeze the juice into his mouth, "He's got scurvy."

Johnny looked at her in surprise, "Scurvy?"

"We've got him in time, he should recover in a few days."

"Are you sure, big sis? I'm really grateful for big sis!"

Nami pushed him away from her, "Stop spitting all over me, please." She looked back at Yosaku, "In the past, it was an incurable disease that plagued sailors. But now, it's just a minor problem, caused by the lack of Vitamin C. In the past, ships couldn't carry enough fresh fruit to avoid it." Nami glared at she watched Luffyko and Usopp shove limes into his mouth.

"Your like a doctor!" Luffyko said in amazement.

Usopp shrugged, "I've always known you were a smart woman."

Nami glared at them, "You shold of at least known what this was! It could happen to you sooner or later you know!"

Suddenly Yosaku stood up and began to dance with Johnny, "It's working! He's recovering!"

"You don't recover that quickly!" Nami screamed.

"Pardon us for not introducing ourselves. My name's Johnny."

"And I'm Yosaku."

"We are the pirate hunters! Big Bro Zoro used to be one of us too. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Zoro walked forward and grinned, "I never expected to see you guys here."

"But I'm even more surprised that the pirate hunter Zoro has become a pirate himself." Johnny leaned in then and shook his hand as his partner collapsed, "Partner?" Johnny watched as the two girls and boy carried him into the other room and he turned to Zoro, "I see why you became a pirate, two gorgeous babes and a weak pirate captain. I would take over that."

"What?!" Zoro said as he looked at his friend who was plotting something.

"Say would you mind sharing the dark haired one she's cute."

Zoro punched him, "Don't talk about my captain that way. And the red head would roast you on a pit and eat you for breakfast." He got up and walked into the kitchen area where everyone else had moved.

"Let this be a lesson for us." Nami said to have everyone agree. "These kind of things can happen on a long trip. Especially since we don't have much room for food on this ship. Speaking of which, we should get somebody who'd know about this dietary business."

Luffyko munched on a bread roll, 'Dietary huh…I got it! We need a sea cook! Let's go look for a sea cook!"

Usopp stood up and grinned, "I get it! Then we'd have all sorts of delicious food to eat!"

"Exactly!" Luffyko cheered.

"If you're looking for such a cook, I know where you should go."

"Yeah that's the spirit! So, where would that be?"

"It's pretty close to the Grand Line, and the man that big bro's been hunting for, Hawk-Eye is around there too. Its direction is North-northeast! The sea restaurant Barartie!"


	15. Chapter 15

The Going Merry drew towards the dock of the floating restaurant when they saw a large Marine vessel pull up next to them. Usopp looked around frantically, "It didn't come out here to attack us did it?"

Zoro looked up at it and held onto the ship, "I smell trouble."

Nami glared at the ship as the two bounty hunters hid themselves, "Why out of the blue?"

A man in a suit walked out and looked at the ship, "I've never seen that pirate mark before. I'm the Marine Lieutenant Iron Fist Fullbody. Hey who's your captain?"

Luffyko took a step forward, "I am Luffyko."

Usopp mimicked the girl, "I am Usopp."

Luffyko looked at the boy and took another step forward, "Our mark was just made yesterday."

"I was the one who made our mark!" Usopp said proudly.

Iron Fist Fullbody gave the boy a weird look, "What is with you guys." He looked over at the other speaker and then another look. Then he also saw the red head, "Hey why don't two ladies stop playing pirates and join me for dinner?"

Luffyko looked at him then and bit her lip dinner did sound good. "I cannot! No matter how much you tempt me I will never stop being a pirate!"

Nami stared at the girl and put her hand on her forehead in defeat, Luffyko's thoughts were so transparent! "We will be rejecting your offer." Nami added on as she crossed her hands behind her back. She saw the Marine Lieutenant give Luffyko another look over and glared at him.

Iron Fist looked the red head over when he finished the short dark haired girls inspection. He couldn't decide which one was better, the red head was curvier, but the girl with the straw hat had such a tight vest on and he knew nothing else was underneath. He felt someone staring at him and saw a swordsman standing there with death in his eyes. He quickly turned his attention to the two trying to hide from him, "I've seen you two before. You claim to be pirate hunters. It looks like you finally go caught by some. This is to good!"

A woman came up to him and grabbed his arm, "Hey let's go now."

"Sure." He turned away with the blonde on his arm, _'better then the two pirate woman,'_ his eyes did a quick glance at her figure and bit the inside of his lip, _'If only she had the body of one of them.'_ He turned to one of his men and gave them a thumbs down, "Sink them."

Johnny was still trying to convince him and threw a whole bunch of wanted posters out. "He simply ignored us, that bastard."

Nami looked over at the bounties, "What's this?"

"Those are people with big bounties on their head. It means if we get one of them we will get the money offered on their heads."

"Don't think it's a good business?" Yosaku asked.

Usopp interrupted, "This is bad, they are aiming right at us!"

Luffyko watched as they lit the cannon that was aiming right at their ship, "Leave it to me!" She stretched herself and grabbed two parts of the ship, "Gum Gum-" The cannon hit her and she stretched back, "Slingshot!" As her one hand slipped sending the cannon into the restaurant.

Zoro brought his hand up to his forehead and sighed, she always did something. He watched as the cooks came up and drag her away. She could handle herself against a bunch of cooks. He looked back at the Marine ship and thought of the Marine Lieutenant; he had been looking at his captain and navigator. He had been looking at Luffyko way too much for his liking. He even knew the moment he noticed Luffyko's lack of clothing. He clenched his jaw and saw Usopp and Nami getting off the ship. "Where are you two going?"

Nami just flashed him a smile, "This is a restaurant I am getting something to eat. Coming?"

Zoro nodded and followed them and found a seat. However, he had the unfortunate sight of being in view of the sleazy Marine Lieutenant and his thin blonde date. He watched as their food came and then their wine. He glared as everyone saw him and talked as if they had seen someone important.

Nami raised an eyebrow when she heard the noise and she turned to see the Lieutenant who had just taken a sip of wine. "This is exquisite. Don't tell me! This fragrance, it's the fragrance of Mitequeo City, in the north, a bit sour and a bit spicy. This wine is Wurzberg Stein." She watched as the waiter slammed the wine bottle down and the Lieutenant looked at him, "Right, waiter?"

The blonde revealed the wine, "Sorry, but it's not sir." He said as he placed a spoon in his hand, "Your soup is getting cold. Please enjoy it while it's hot." Then he walked away leaving Ironfist a joke. He turned back then, "By the way, I'm the Assistant Head Chef, Sanji. All the waiters ran away after what happened yesterday."

Nami and Zoro exchanged a glance and bit their lips trying to contain their loud laughter. "He looked like such an idiot!" Nami said trying to keep her voice and laughter down.

Zoro nodded back trying to get his laughter under control. He watched as the blonde man left, he felt like he needed to thank the stranger, for making the Marine look like the fool. He turned back to his drink when he heard the Marine call the blonde back over. After a while he realized it was about a bug and yet again the Marine looked like the fool. He bit his laughter back until the Marine break the table. "Some people just can't keep their cool." He turned to see Nami give him a look as if she was saying, _Are you one to talk? _"What?"

"Oh nothing." She gasped then as she saw the Marine step on the blonde's hand and then knocked his date to the ground, "What a despicable man."

Zoro had to nod in agreement, but smiled when the blonde beat the man with a few kicks then held him up with one hand, he only wished he had been the man to beat the Marine. He sighed and turned back to his drink and swirled it, "I wonder what's taking Luffyko."

Usopp sat there quietly, "She probably has to pay for it."

"She's not using my money."

"What if they make her pay with her body!"

Zoro glared at Usopp making the boy cover his mouth. Nami hit the table to get their attention, "That won't happen! It's Luffyko even if they do tell her she won't understand what they mean and they will give up. If not Zoro you will have to kill everybody."

Usopp sighed and looked away from her, "Or you could give her some of your treasure."

Zoro looked away from her and nodded, "It's not like she'd have it without Luffyko."

Nami glared at the two and hit them, "Shut up! If it was up to her it wouldn't even have any money!"

They turned when they heard a crash and they saw an old man on top of Luffy who was in a tight black dress and apron. Zoro glared and reached for his swords as Usopp's jaw dropped, "It happened…"

The man got off the girl and looked at the ceiling, "Damn it! Look what you did! It's all your fault, girl."

Luffyko glared at him, "You did it yourself!"

The other chef's begged him to ignore the girl and help them with Sanji and Zoro stood up and picked the girl up off the floor and set her on her feet. "Luffyko what was that?" He said barely controlling his voice.

Luffyko looked up and fixed her hat, "The old man wants me to serve tables for a year. I managed to lower it down to three months if I wear this thing." She said as she tugged at the ends pulling parts of it high only to have Nami pull it back down.

"Luffyko stop pulling your dress up!"

Luffyko pouted then turned when the man kicked the Lieutenant and cringed, "That had to hurt, that old guy is scary."

Zoro sighed and watched as a Marine came in and said their prisoner had escaped, "What a bunch of useless Marines."

Luffyko watched as the starving pirate was denied food and thrown out. She followed outside and looked down at him, "Hey you're starving, aren't you?"

"Shut up. I'm not the least bit hungry."

Then Sanji came out with food and placed it in front of him, "Eat it."

"Shut up! Go away! This is worse. I won't accept charity. Take it away. Don't be so tough and just eat up. To me a hungry person is a customer."

"I can't pay for it."

Sanji looked up at the sky and talked, "The vast ocean can be very cruel. It is awful to be without food or water, just awful. I understand starving people more than anyone. I don't care if you want to die with dignity. But if you eat up, you can look forward to a new tomorrow, won't you?"

The pirate broke and took the food and ate it, "It is delicious. So delicious. Too delicious." The man cried as he ate bite after bite. I thought I was gunna die. I thought I was a gonner. I've never had a meal so good in my entire life."

Sanji grinned, "So you like it?"

Luffyko looked down at the man and nodded, "Well now, I've found my cook." She leaned over and looked at the guy, "Well aren't you lucky! If he hadn't given you food you would have been all over. Say Mr. Cook care to join us?"

Sanji looked up and saw the girl and a stupid grin came over his face, "Of course I will join you anywhere my sweet!"

"You can be a cook on my pirate ship!"

Sanji looked away and tears formed away, "Alas, I cannot my sweet." Luffyko frowned and jumped over the railing. Sanji looked up and tried to see up her skirt before she landed and sat on the tailing beside her, "So my darling, you are a pirate?"

"Yep!"

"Aren't you the pirates who attacked the restaurant?"

"That was an accident! We were defending ourselves from the Marines!" Luffyko said as she crossed her arms. "It's all that Marines fault that I'm stuck in this weird outfit."

"Those cruel Marines! How dare they shoot at such a lady like you! You were forced to defend and then you were blamed for the attack." Sanji said as he tried to get closer to the girl, "Then the old man forced you to work here! Please be careful my sweet, don't do anything that might hurt the place. That old man was once a pirate and I don't want him to take out his anger on such a beautiful woman like you."

Luffyko tilted her head and then chose to forget the confusing part he had said, "So that old man was a pirate?"

"For that old man, this place is his treasure. And all of his cooks were once pirates too searching for a place to work. There are always pirates here."

Luffyko giggled and nodded, "It seems like such a lively place!"

"It's not bad, I got used to it. Recently people come to see the cooks fight the pirates or other cooks. But because of that all are help keeps running away. Which is why the old man has forced such a delicate creature to work!"

"Oh delicate creature, that sounds good. Hey does that taste good?"

Sanji stared at the girl in surprise and caught a glimpse of her covered in whipped cream, while Luffyko moved on to a more important topic, "Hey join us!"

Sanji saw the old man yanking away the girl from him and he returned to the real world, "Alas I cannot. I have reasons why I must remain here."

"I refuse."

"Refuse what?"

"I refuse your refusal. You are a good cook so come be a pirate with me."

Sanji stood up and held her hand, "My sweet cannot stand to have me apart from her! How tragic that our lives cannot go on together! How cruel fate is to keep me from this delicate sweet angel that has fallen for me!"

"Hey."

Sanji glared at him, "What."

"I'm part of the Kreig Pirates. The name is Gin." He looked over the small pirate girl who he couldn't help but stare at as she sat in a nearly exposed manner. "So you are a pirate too? What's your goal?"

Luffyko turned and nodded with a smile, "I'm looking for the One Piece. I'm headed for the Grand Line!"

"You're still looking for a cook, your crew must be quite small."

Luffyko nodded with a grin, "Ya, we have five counting him!"

"My sweet you cannot count me as I can not sail under the golden sun with you."

Gin looked at her and felt he had to warn her, "You look like a nice young girl, so let me give you a piece of advice. You better not go to the Grand Line. You're still young and pretty. There's no need to rush. The Grand Line is only a small part of the world's oceans. If you wanna be a pirate, there are many less intimidating places."

"Oh I see, so do you know anything about the Grand Line?"

Gin looked like he had seen a ghost, "No I don't. Nothing at all. That's why it was so scary."

Sanji looked at the cowering man, "Are you really one of the dreaded Krieg's men? I didn't think he hired chickens."

_Meanwhile with the rest of the crew…_

Zoro sat and took another drink as he continued to glare at the other two sharing the table. "She'll be fine." Zoro mimicked as he glared at Nami.

Nami crossed her arms and looked away, "She was fine. She had to wear it so she could leave sooner."

Usopp took a bit of some of the food, "I'm just glad she only has to wait tables." He stopped as he saw both of them glare at him, "I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!"

Luckily he was saved, by Luffyko walking down the stairs, "Hey Luffyko!" Nami called out.

"Hey you guys!"

Usopp grinned at her, "So going to be able to get out of here anytime?"

"Can I redraw the pirate flag?" Zoro asked with a grin as he watched his slim captain walk down the stairs. For being so uninterested in anything feminine, she was able to walk down the stairs like a woman. He also noticed the other men noticing her little walk.

Luffyko glared at them, "I can't believe you! You're all eating while I have to work! That hurts!"

"Not really, that's are free will!" Zoro laughed as the girl glared at him. Luffyko waited till he wasn't looking and dropped a little surprise into his drink making Usopp and Nami try not to laugh. "But I gotta admit, the food here is pretty great." He slowly lifted his glass to his mouth, "Ya I feel pretty sorry for you…" Then he forced the water down the girl's throat, "You drink it!"

Zoro looked down as the girl tried to choke it out, "Just what were you trying to pull on me?" He blushed then as he noticed the front of the black dress was wet and clinging even tighter to her chest.

Sanji looked over at them, "Are those idiots her crew?" Then he saw her, "O' Mother Ocean! Thank you for arranging this encounter today! Oh, my love! Go on laugh at me!" He said as he held a rose up to Nami, "I, who cannot bear torture. As long as I'm with you, it matters not if I'm a pirate or a devil my hearts ready as can be!"

Luffyko stared at him in confusion and Zoro shuddered. "Is he really the same person?"

Sanji looked over and saw Luffyko, "Oh my sweet, what has happened you are all wet!" He valiantly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, "If only I could accompany you two, alas there would be a great obstacle between us."

Zoro ignored the conversation between Sanji and the owner. All he could look at was the coat around Luffyko. He had called her he's sweet. How could he call his captain he's sweet? She was he's captain! He watched as Luffyko was pulled away once again and sat down in shock. Who was this man and just what was he trying to pull with his captain?


	16. Chapter 16

The other cooks don't like you anyways. So why don's you just go and become a pirate or whatever you please. Why don't you just get the hell outta here?"

Sanji glared at the older chef, "What's this crap? I didn't do shit and now you're blowing your head off, old fart? I don't care about the rest of your excuses, but I'll never allow my cooking to be insulted. I don't care what the hell you're gonna say, I'm gonna stay right here as a chef! If you don't like it, it's your problem!"

"How dare you hit your own boss! You stupid eggplant!" The old chef said as he threw Sanji away from him and into the table Nami, Zoro, and Usopp were sitting at.

"Are you kidding? No matter how hard you may try, I'm gonna stay right here as a chef! Till the day you go to hell!"

The man walked away ignoring him, "I won't die, I'll live another 100 years."

"Stubborn old man."

Luffyko patted his shoulder, "isn't it great that he gave you his blessing! Now you can come with us!"

Sanji grabbed her hand and sighed, "I still cannot leave. I am sorry my sweet." He picked back up the table and then presented Nami a dessert and a drink, "Please pardon me for what has happened. As an apology, I've ordered you a Fruit Macedonia, my princess."

Nami grinned, "Why, thank you! You're so kind."

Ussop glared at the man, "What's this? You're not apologizing to us? I'll sue you, you love cook!"

Sanji gave him and Zoro some tea, "I brought you some tea, isn't that enough? You should thank me, long nose."

"Picking a fight? I won't be easy on you! Get him Zoro."

Zoro looked up from his tea, he wanted to fight the cook, but not for Usopp. "Do it yourself."

Nami looked up at the cook and gave a sad hurt face, "Please, don't fight over me!"

Sanji turned back to her, "Very well, Ma'am. I'll stop."

"Who's fighting over you?" Usopp yelled only to be ignored by the two.

"By the way…The food here's great, but it's a bit expensive for me." Nami said as she brought her hand up to Sanji's face.

"Of course, I won't make you pay…" he glared at Usopp and Zoro, "You two have to."

"I already saw that coming." Zoro said as he set his tea down and looked at Nami hugging the man.

Luffyko laughed and Sanji offered his hand, "Come along my cute little waiter girl! Off to work!" Sanji said as he dragged Luffyko off with him.

Zoro looked at Nami, "So what was that all about? Using yourself to get free food from that stupid cook, isn't that the opposite of the feminine modesty you always preach to Luffyko?"

Nami gave him a look, "Are you kidding me? It's Luffyko, she doesn't know what she is doing. I'm looking out for her. I don't want someone trying to take advantage of her; heaven knows it would be easy for anyone to do, with that simpleton. As for me, I don't care as long as I get what I want. I will always be the one in charge. I won't let someone take advantage of me." Nami said as she stood up and left the dinning room. She went back to the ship and lay down on the bed in the cabin. Zoro didn't understand what it was like being a woman. Luffyko had been lucky as a young girl it seemed to be able to be as carefree as she was. However, Nami knew the truth of the world. She looked at the wanted poster she had hidden and sighed, she didn't have much longer left.

Zoro sat on the boat with Nami and Usopp and sighed, "I'm bored, it's been four days. How soon can we leave, ya think?"

"Beats me. You don't think she'll really be stuck here for a year, do you?"

Nami looked at them in surprise, "Why not? We've got free food, a cozy atmosphere."

"You're the only one!" Usopp yelled when he saw Luffyko walking by, "Hey Luffyko! Hurry up and get out of this mess!"

Luffyko frowned, "Ah, can't you guys wait just a bit longer? I'll try talking to the boss again." She stopped talking and turned when she saw something come out of the thick fog. She listened as the people inside began to panic. She finished her chore and headed in to find the cooks, she went up to Sanji, "That's a huge ship! You think that Gin guy's here to pay you back?"

Sanji just kept staring, "I doubt it. But it's strange…"

Luffyko looked up and then agreed, "Looks like his ship's pretty much had it."

"It doesn't look like it was attacked by a gunboat or anything. But it doesn't look any human could have done that either."

"A tornado maybe?"

"Here he comes." Sanji said as the large man came towards them. Luffyko followed Sanji inside and went down the stairs into the dinning room of the resturant.

The large man begged, "Please, Can you give me water and something to eat? If it's money, I've got it, as much as you ask. I don't know how long it's been since I've last eaten, please, give me water and something to eat."

Luffyko watched as Sanji left and came back with food kicking another chef out of his way, "Here take it Gin."

Gin looked at Sanji in surprise as Krieg began eating quickly, "Thanks!"

Another cook ran over, "Hey Sanji! Take away the food! Don't you know what kind of person he is? He's the King of the East Blue, the sneakiest pirate of 'em all! It all began in prison. He pretended to be one of the marines and killed the captain on board the ship and took over that ship to become a pirate. Sometimes he would raise the marine flag and enter a harbor, and then he'd attack the city and other docked ships. Or he'd pretend to surrender, and then make a surprise attack. He'll do anything to win! That's how he got to where he is now!"

Luffyko looked at the man, "So he is a snake?"

The other chef continued, "He shouldn't be underestimated even now. Eat and leave? How can we believe what he says? We'd be doing the world a favor if we gave this wretch up!" As he finished Krieg slammed down the bottle he was drinking and attacked Sanji, knocking him away to the floor.

Gin watched in horror as his savior hit the ground then turned to his captain, "Aren't you acting different from what you promised, Don Krieg? You promised that you'd never hurt these people, so I took you here. Besides, that man saved out lives!"

Krieg picked Gin up by his shoulder and stood up as well, "Yeah, it was good." He began to squeeze causing Gin to cry out in pain, "I feel re-energized."

Luffyko jumped down ripping the side of the tight dress she wore and went over to Sanji, "Hey you okay?"

Krieg interrupted when he saw her, "This is a nice restaurant, I think I'll take it."

Sanji sat up ignoring Luffyko, "So that is why you came."

"My ship's ruined. I want a new one. Leave after you've gotten your things." Krieg said with a smirk as the chef's stared at him in horror.

Gin looked up at his captain, "That's not what you promised."

Krieg ignored his subordinate and pointed to his ship, "There're about 100 men still alive on that ship. All of 'em starving and injured. First prepare food and water for 100 men. Some of 'em have already starved to death."

The short chef who had yelled at Sanji yelled at Krieg, "We'd know better that those pirates will be attacking us later on! We won't aid them! We refuse!"

"Refuse? Don't misunderstand. I'm not ordering food. I'm giving you an order. Nobody ever disobeys me!"

"Sanji…Sanji I'm sorry." Gin said as he looked at the blonde with blood dripping down his chin from his mouth. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

The tall chef, Patty, glared at Sanji, "You Bastard! Look what you have done!" He watched as Sanji stood up and began to walk towards the stairs, "Hey Sanji, where are you going?"

"The kitchen." He replied as he wiped the blood away from his mouth, "I've gotta prepare food for 100 men."

Krieg smirked as everyone screamed in shock, "Yes, that's how it should be."

The chef's surrounded Sanji and pointed their weapons at him, "You're being Krieg's little puppet, Sanji!"

Another nodded, "I'll never let you get into the kitchen! I've had enough of your nonsense!"

Sanji just spread his arms and gave them more openings, "Do it. If you want to stop me, do so. I'm aware, I know that he's a hopeless bully, but that's none of my business. I don't care. I don't care what happens after they had their meal. Not a care in the world. I'm a chef, nothing more. When people are hungry, I offer them food. That's all there is to it. For a chef, isn't that enough?"

Patty hit him in the back of the head sending him to the ground, "You have always given food o the customers I have drove out. I don't care who is right or wrong, but I can't let you do what you want anymore. I will protect this restaurant. Luckily there is only one enemy." He said as he pulled out his weapon, "Pirates come to this floating restaurant everyday. I'm always prepared for anything. Did you enjoy your meal, Krieg? 'Cause here is dessert!" He yelled as he fired his strange weapon at the pirate. After he fired the room was filled with smoke, "I think I broke the door. The boss will be mad at me for that."

"It's okay, we're protecting this place." Another chef replied as he tried to see through the smoke.

"What are we gonna do about those people on Krieg's ship?" Sanji asked as he watched the smoke begin to clear.

Patty shrugged confidently, "I don't know, why don't we just put some butter on their ship and cook it up?"

"That sounds delicious you stupid cook." Krieg replied still standing after the attack. "Giving me such an awful dessert. This restaurant's despicable!" He said after he aimed his many guns at the guns, "Despicable!" He yelled as he fired his guns at the chef's making many fall to the ground bleeding.

Luffyko stared at the armor in amazement, "That armor…"

"It can shoot?" Sanji finished in horror as his fellow cooks fell to the ground.

"Do as I say!" Krieg demanded, 'I'm the strongest man there is! These arms are stronger than anybody's! My super-alloy armor is tougher than anything! And I've got a diamond punch, which can destroy everything! An army of 5000 men! I've never lost a battle in my life! I'm the perfect person to claim the title of 'Don'! I ordered you to get the food ready! Now hurry and do it!"

The head chef had just made it down the stairs and tossed down a large bag to the man, "Here's food for 100 men. Take it to your ship."

"Owner Zeff!"

Luffyko tilted her head in confusion, "What's the old man doing? Isn't that a little risky?"

Don stared at the man in surprise, "Zeff is it?"

Zeff walked away listening to his men question his judgment, as the pirates would attack when they get better, "That's if they have the heart too." He turned towards Krieg, "Isn't that right? Couldn't get through the Grand Line?"

"Even the King of the East Blue couldn't get through…with his 50 ship fleet he couldn't get through?!"

Luffyko looked at the man in interest then, "Grand Line?"

"You…you are Red Leg Zeff! So you're still alive, eh? The cook-captain, one of the greatest pirates in history."

"I'm alive, so what? It's not your concern. As you see, I make my living as a cook."

Krieg just laughed, "That's a nice way of saying it. But from the look of things, it's not that you chose to be a cook, but it's the only thing you're able to do. I've heard about Red Leg Zeff. He's an expert at fighting without his hands. His legs are so strong, they can break rocks, or even leave a footprint on iron. He earned the name 'Red Leg' from his shoes, dyed red with blood of his enemies. But it seems that you've lost that ever so precious leg of yours." Krieg smirked, "I heard a rumor that you had an accident while sailing. For you, losing a leg means you can no longer do battle."

"Why would I need to fight? I don't need my feet to cook, as long as I have a pair of hands. Just cough out what you really want to say."

"Zeff the Red Foot, I know that you're the only many who's come back alive from the Grand Line. You must have kept a journal of that voyage. Hand it over!"

"Not bad old man! So you've been to the Grand Line, too?" Luffyko said with a grin as she saw the old chef in a new light.

"Indeed, I have the journal, but I'm not giving it to you. That journal isn't just mine; it's the pride of my entire crew. It's far too valuable for the likes of you."

"Then I'll have to seize it from you. It's true I couldn't get through the Grand Line. But behold, I'm Don Krieg, I am the greatest! I was strong enough to make it through, I had enough men, enough ambition, and the only thing I lacked was information. That's the only reason why I failed. I must have that journal and organize another pirate fleet to get that One Piece! Then I will be King of the Pirates."

Luffyko glared at the man and walked forward to everyone's surprise, "Hold on there, bud! The one to be Pirate King, will be me!" She listened as everyone told her to get away and she just grinned, "I can't do that. Leaving things as they are."

Don Krieg looked at the thin girl and the tight dress she wore. He looked as the slit she had ripped in the side and saw her pale thing legs. "What did you say, girl? Girl's cannot be Pirate Kings, but if you come over here and obey my commands like the bitch you are, maybe I'll let you become the Pirate Queen."

"You don't have to. I will be the Pirate King, I'm just announcing the truth."

Krieg glared at the small slim girl, she was no bigger than his leg and she thinks she could be the Pirate King? "This is no game."

"Of course it isn't. I'll be the one who'll get to the Grand Line!"

"That's not funny, bitch! It may have just been a lack of information, but even a fleet of 5000 men was defeated in seven days! What makes you think you can make it?!" He forced himself to relax and then glared at the girl, "Sorry, but your humor is the kind I hate most. If you insist, shall I kill you off right now?"

Luffyko just grinned at him. "If you think you're up to it."

Krieg looked at the girl in surprise, "Okay, very well then. You want to be sent to the next world?" He asked as he let her see all of his guns again.

"Starting a brawl, Luffy?" Zoro called out from the stairs, one sword ready to be used. He looked over and held back the fury as he had heard their early conversation. _'She will be no one's Queen, she WILL be the King of the Pirates. I will be sure of that.'_ He wanted the man's blood, "Need a hand?"

Usopp shivered beside him trying to be brave for his captain, "We don't have to, you know."

Luffyko looked up at her crew in surprise, "Zoro! Usopp! You dropped by! It's okay. Just sit and watch."

"Too bad then, if you don't need us, there's nothing we can do about that." Usopp said his voice shaking. "I'll help ya, if you still need it! Good Luck!"

Zoro knocked Usopp over, the coward was to afraid to stand he couldn't help their captain. What could he do? Luffyko was stronger than anyone they had meet and if anyone was going to protect her and her dream it was him, not Usopp. "What the hell was that Zoro?"

"Shut up and stay still." Zoro yelled as he glared at Usopp. '_Useless, only I can protect Luffyko.'_

Krieg saw the two and laughed, "Are those your men? Are they all you've got with you?" The small girl was pitiable, the only thing she had going for her was her delicate body. Her mouth would be the death of her.

"What're you talking about? There are two more!"

Sanji realized she added him again, "My sweet, why do you keep counting me?"

Krieg looked at Zeff then relaxed, "I'll take care of you guys later. Right now, I need to feed my men. For those who don't wish to die, you'd better not be here when I return. The only things I want are the journal, the ship, and that girl." He said as he pointed to Luffyko. "However, if you really want to throw your lives away, I'll have to go out of my way, but I'll be happy to send you to the bottom of the ocean. Keep that in mind, and girl, don't be running away or I will extend your time in hell." Krieg said with a smirk, "You can live beside me and do as I say or I will get my use out of you in other ways." With that he left.

Sanji grabbed her hand, "Don't worry, my sweet, I won't let him lay a hand on you." He glared at the door as the man left, he was trying to take the ship and force himself on such a young beauty. "You can think of me as your own personal knight, my lady."

Zoro glared at the cook but agreed with him. There was no way that sicko was going to lay a hand on his captain. Not while he was alive. "Luffyko, you okay?"

"Of course." She said as she gave Sanji a weird look. When Zoro got closer she leaned over to him, "What's wrong with him? He's acting funny."

Zoro sighed and just patted her head, "He's fine, he's just a love cook."

"Love cook?" Luffyko asked as her head tilted to the side. When Usopp came up to her, "What's a love cook?"

Usopp just sighed and patted her head, "It's nothing important, why don't you change your clothes if you are going to fight."

"Great idea!" She said as she started to pull her dress up only to have Usopp yank it back down and Sanji just shoot him a glare as he ruined his chances to see more of the slim beauty.

"Luffyko, remember what Nami said?" Usopp said with a sigh as she nodded and ran off. She was no longer a cute girl to him, instead she was more like a stupid younger sister. He constantly had to explain things to her and when she was next to Nami and Kaya she just seemed more like a child. If only he could appreciate her lack of female modesty like the rest of the men in the restaurant, instead of feeling like a creepy older brother.

Zoro watched his captain leave before glaring at the cook, "You should watch where you are looking."

Sanji glared at him, "What did you say?"

Gin interrupted when he sat up, "Sanji…Sanji I'm so sorry. I never would've imagined things to turn out this way…"

"I don't need an apology from the likes of you, fool! We are but cooks in this establishment. We'll feed anybody who comes along." Zeff said getting looks from everybody.

"Owner, why are you siding with Sanji?" Patty asked in amazement. "What's going on here?"

"Yeah! This is all his fault!" Another chef yelled out, "He's destroying your precious restaurant!"

Zeff glared and screamed at them, "Shut the hell up, you stupid eggplants! Have you ever had the experience of starving to death? Can you imagine how horrible it is? Having no food and water in this vast ocean?"

"What do you mean, Owner?" Patty asked.

"The difference between all of you and Sanji is that he know that feeling." Zeff listened as the chef's tried to figure it out then he glared, "Rather than just standing idle with petty talk, you'd all better leave this place now!"

"I'm staying here to fight!" Patty said as he tightened his grip, "I can't simply let them trample over me!"

Gin watched in horror as all the cooks decided to stay and fight, "What are you doing? Didn't you see how strong our leader is?"

"Hey Gin." Sanji called out as he walked towards him, "Feeding the hungry is what being a cook is all about. However…" He paused to kick a table up then force it down with his heel and then sat down on it, "Now that you captain's all filled up, he's nothing more than a plunderer. Whatever I do to your pals, don't come bitching at me. I'll kill anybody who tries to take this restaurant! Even you! Got that?"

Patty smirked, "Heh! You saved his life just to kill him off? You're so thoughtful Sanji."

"Shut up, you fat-ass cook!"

Luffyko looked up and grinned, "Didn't I tell you he was something?"

Zoro glared at the man who Luffyko wanted as their chef. At least he knew it wasn't because of all the garbage he told her.

Usopp glared at her, "Who cares about him now? Let's just get the hell out of here!" There was no way he was letting that pirate captain anywhere near Luffyko, he had made his intentions clear.

"Calm down." Zoro said as he looked at his captain. No matter how much he wanted her to leave, he knew it was pointless, besides the girl would not be beat. "Even though he's Krieg, he's all battered up."

Luffyko turned and saw Gin, "Ah Gin, you said once before that you knew nothing about the grand Line, right? But you have been there, haven't you?"

Gin looked down as he thought back to that time, "The truth is I don't know anything. What happened at the Grand Line on the seventh day…was it a dream? Or reality? It's still fresh in my mind…It was unbelievable. Just one man destroyed a whole fleet of 50 ships!" He paused as everyone screamed in disbelief before continuing, "He showed up out of nowhere and started sinking our ships, one after the other. If a storm hadn't come along, our maiden ship would've been destroyed too! I have no idea how many of my crewmates ships survived, but it was too scary for me to accept it all. I don't want to even think about what had happened! That man his stare pierces through you, like the eyes of a hawk!"

Zoro gasped and stepped forward, "What? What did you say?"

Zeff stepped forward, "That man…he must be the man known as Hawk Eyes. The fact that you noticed his eyes, leads me to believe that it was him. It all sounds like something he would do."

"The Hawk Eyes Man!" Zoro said as he gripped the metal railing of the stairs.

Luffyko looked up at him, "Eh, you know that guy, Zoro?" She looked over him and saw how wound up he was and eyed him carefully.

"That's the man I've been looking for." Zoro said after he forced himself to relax. "I sailed across the oceans in search of him."

"Maybe he had some kind of grudge to settle with you guys." Sanji offered as he looked at the terrified pirate.

"Not that I know of."

"Perhaps you disturbed his nap." Zeff supplied.

"Stop the bullshit! Why in the world would he destroy our fleet just for that?" Gin yelled as he saw Zeff just smirk back.

"Don't get so worked up. I'm just making assumptions. Stuff like that happens at the Grand Line."

Usopp shivered, "Just what kind of place is that?"

"A place where anything can happen." Zoro replied as he looked down at Gin.

Usopp bit his lip and tried not to cry, "Hey Luffyko! Stop this right now! We can't go there!" He looked down to see the girl's shoulders trembling. "Luffyko?"

Luffyko looked up in excitement, "Gah! I'm so pumped up! I was hoping the Grand Line would have all this!"

Usopp glared at the girl, she had no regard for her safety. "Can't you be more concerned about your safety?"

Zoro leaned back and shrugged, "But with all this talk, now my destination will really be the Grand Line. That man, I can definitely meet him there!"

Sanji glared at him, "Are you morons? You must be those who are eager to die."

"That's right, but it's none of your business" Zoro said as Sanji turned back to look at him. "When I decided to become the greatest swordsman in the world, I threw away the rest of my life. I'm the only one who can say that I'm an idiot."

"Me too, me too!" Luffyko cried out with a grin.

"As a man of the sea, same here!" Usopp said only to earn a stab from Zoro's sheath.

"Cut the lying."

Patty glared at them, "Do you bastards realize what's going on here? Don Krieg's ship is right in front of this restaurant! Do all the talking only after we get out of this mess!"

"Here they come! I can hear them!" A chef said as he held his weapon ready.

"We won't let them through!" Another called out.

Sanji placed an arm around Luffyko, "Don't worry I won't let them harm you." He let go when the ship rocked from a massive attack to Don Krieg's ship.

"What?!" Luffyko cried only to have Zoro catch her and help her stand from the wave's rocking.

"Oh no, this is bad! Nami, Yosaku, and Johnny are still on our ship!" Zoro said as he let Luffyko go as she gained her balanced and took off towards the ship.

Usopp stood up and ran after him, "Damn it! We may already be too late!"

Luffyko followed to see the ship in pieces when she heard, "Big Bro!" She rushed over to see Johnny and Yosaku, "Yosaku, Johnny! Are you all right? Where's the ship? What happened to Nami?"

"She's…I'm sorry little sis…She's left! Nami…she took off with all the treasure!"

"What did you say!" Luffyko, Usopp, and Zoro yelled.

"It's him…"

Zoro heard Zeff and turned out to look and then he saw the ship for one man. Krieg also saw him, "That son of a bitch…he followed us!"

Zoro clenched the railing, "It can't be…he is…the man with the hawk eyes?!"


	17. Chapter 17

Luffyko watched as Zoro looked at the man then got down to business, "I can still see the ship. Yosaku, Johnny get your ship. Zoro, Usopp, leave right away. Go find Nami."

"Never mind. Let it go." Zoro said as he looked away. He had more pressing issues, like Luffyko's safety from the disgusting pirate. "Theres no need to chase that woman."

"I can't be without her as my navigator!" Luffyko demanded as she looked at the swordsman, daring him to defy her.  
Zoro waited to see if she would give and when he knew she was serious he caved, "Fine, what a pain in the ass captain. Hey Usopp, let's go." When the other ship drew near Zoro turned to Luffyko, "Luffyko, what about you?"

"I haven't fully repaid this restaurant yet, so I can't go."

"Do be careful. Things here are abnormal."  
Luffyko nodded seriously, she didn't want to worry her swordsman, "Yeah. I know."

Zoro sighed until he heard the pirates panic again and he was clearly able to see the man, "That man is…"

Luffyko looked at him and saw him force down his nervousness, "Zoro, who the heck is he?"

"The man I've been searching for, Hawk Eyes Mihawk."

Luffyko loward her head and looked at the man carefully, "Hawk Eyes Mihawk…"

"The strongest swordsman in the world!" Zoro swallowed hard as he looked at the man, '_I never thought I'd be able to meet him so soon. Finally, the destined time has come. I will beat him to fulfill my dream, and to help Luffyko fulfill hers.'_ He walked over to where a pirate shot at Mihawk only to have the bullets miss, "It deviated. He redirected it with the tip of his sword." Zoro explained to the pirates surprise. He ignored the pirates and walked forward to address Mihawk, "I've never seen such graceful skill."

"A sword with power alone is not powerful."

"So this ship was cut apart with that sword too?" Zoro asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course."

"It's clear now. You're the strongest! I've been sailing the seas to face you." Zoro said as he removed his bandana from his shoulder and put it over his head.

"What's your mission?"

"To be the best!"

Mihawk smirked at the boy before him, "Fool."

Zoro drew his precious white sword at the man and smirked, "You've got some time to spare, don't you?"

"Duel? Such a pitiful weakling." Mihawk sighed as he effortlessly jumped from his ship to the other, "If you really were a fine swordsman, you should've been able to judge the difference in strengths without drawing your sword. Challenging me…are you that brave? Or simply reckless?"

"This is for my own ambition! And for a promise to my fallen friend." Zoro said as he place one sword in his mouth and held the other two. He watched as Mihawk took a small dagger from his neck, "Hey now, what's the meaning of this?"

"I'm unlike those idiots who use their all to hunt rabbits. Though you're famous enough to be called a swordsman, this is the weakest of the four oceans, East Blue. Unfortunately, I'm carrying nothing smaller than this."

"Quit mocking me!" Zoro said as he charged, "Just don't regret it when you die!"

"You're but someone who's yet to experience the real world."

Zoro attacked, "Demon Cut!" To his shock all three blades were stopped by the small dagger, "Wh…what?!" Zoro tried to get the blades to move, but they wouldn't '_I can't move…What just happened? No one could avoid this technique before, but just with his toy, he…Is this really happening? Is strength like his really this far away? That can't be! It can't be this far away!'_ He forced his body to move and attacked again, "The world shouldn't be this far off!"

Luffyko forced herself to remain out of the fight. Even as he was easily blocked with the small dagger, "Zoro…" She forced herself to watch as he was knocked to the ground.

Zoro stood back up and glared at the man, "It can't possibly be this far away!" Every attack was dodged with little effort as the man spun around gracefully.

"Such unrestrained skill."

Zoro lunged and then continued his fury of assults to no avail, "I…I didn't come all this way to lose against this toy-like thing!" He attacked and Mihawk dodged hitting him in the back of the neck, cutting off air for a bit. He forced himself to keep to his feet, _'If I could just defeat this man…'_ He forced himself to go forward and strike only to fall in exhaustion. Still he would not give up.

Mihawk looked at the exhausted swordsman who continued to fight the pointless battle, "What's your mission? Why do you seek the ultimate power, you weakling?" Mihawk barely glanced over as he heard the two men yell at him only to be held back by the slim girl.

Zoro on the other hand was focused on his goal, "I can't afford to lose!" He drew his swords up ready to attack when Luffyko entered his mind, '_That's great! The world's greatest swordsman, eh? As the Pirate King's Companion if you're not at least that, I'd be in a dilemma.'_ He drew a deep breath, he had to win for Kuina, his past, and Luffyko his future, "Tiger's Hunting Prey!" As he attacked he felt the small blade pierce his skin. He dropped the blades, but refused to step back and admit defeat.

Mihawk looked at him waiting for him to back away, "Do you wish to have this go through your heart? Why don't you step back?"

Zoro felt the blood dripping from his mouth down his neck, "I don't know. I'm not sure why myself, but if I were to take even one step back, I believe that all those important oaths, promises, and many other deals 'til now, will all go to waste and I'll never be able to return before you, ever again."

"Yes, and that's called 'losing'."

"That's why I can't step back."

"Even if it means death?"

"Death may be better!"

Mihawk looked at him with interest, '_Such a strong will, choosing death over defeat.'_ He felt Zoro move forward and quickly pulled his dagger away and sheathed it, "Kid, announce your name!"

Zoro got ready for another attack, "Roronoa Zoro!"

Mihawk went and grabbed the large blade from his back, "I'll remember that. It's been a while since I've seen such strong will. As a reward, a gesture to a fellow swordsman, I will wield this 'Black Sword', the most powerful sword in the world, to end your life."

"I appreciate your offer." Zoro took a deep breath, '_This is my last chance. World's number one…or death?'_ He saw Mihawk move and began his attack, "Three Swords Secret Technique! Three Thousand Realms!"

Luffyko grabbed onto Johnny and Yosaku tightly, Zoro was injured but he would never forgive her for interrupting his fight. Then watched in horror as his blades broke and blood splashed away from his chest.

Zoro sheathed his white sword an turned around and held out his swords, when he was questioned he gave a forced grin, "Attacking from behind is a shameless act among swordsmen."

"Well said."

Luffyko watched in horror as Mihawk brought the sword down across Zoro's chest, blood spraying out from the wound, "Zoro!" She watched as Zoro fell into the ocean and she clenched her teeth, her hat hiding her eyes filling with tears, "Damn! Damn! DAMN IT!" She screamed as she pulled her fist back and launched it at the world's greatest swordsman. The man who hurt her friend, the man who hurt Zoro. She grabbed onto the ship and flew over tears streaming from her eyes as she prepared to attack the man. She ignored everyone gawking at her abilities, "Bastard!" Right before she attacked he dodged catching her arm and forcing her to the ground.

"So you're the young swordsman's friend. Thank you for watching over him. Rest assure, that man's still alive."

Luffyko quickly rolled away and looked up to see Zoro breathing above the surface thanks to Johnny and Yosaku. "Zoro!" She watched as he tried to find her only to cough up blood, "Zoro!"

Mihawk looked as the young swordsman was put on the boat, "It's still too early for you to die. My name is Dracule Mihawk! Find your true self, true world, become stronger! No matter how long it will take, I will await you in my strongest form! Surpass this sword! Surpass me! Roronoa Zoro!" Mihawk then turned to the slim girl, "Girl, what's your mission?"

"Pirate King."

Mihawk just gave a small grin to the girl, "That's a difficult path, harder than surpassing me."

"Like I'd care, 'coz I'm gonna become one anyway!" Luffyko said as she stuck her tounge out at the man.

"He's alive! He was just unconscious!" Usopp announced.

Luffyko felt relief go through her, "Zoro!"

Zoro raised his sword in the air and yelled, "Luffyko, can you hear me?" When she replied he took a few heavy breaths and continued, "Sorry for worrying you. If I don't become the greatest swordsman in the world, you'd be in dilemma now, right?" He spit more blood out and continued, "I will…I will never…lose again! Until I defeat him and become the greatest swordsman, I'll never be defeated anymore! Any problems with that, Pirate King?"

Luffyko felt her grin come to her face, "None!"

Mihawk looked at the two and smiled, "Good team. I hope we meet again."

"Hold on there, Hawk Eyes." Krieg said as he came forward, he had a chance to increase him power then, and there was no way that little girl would take away his chance, "Didn't you come for my head? East Blue's greatest, Don Krieg's head?"

Mihawk glanced back at the man, "That was my initial intention. But I've had more than enough fun. I'm headed back to sleep."

"It may have been enough fun for you, but I haven't done my bit yet."

Mihawk looked at him bored, "You aren't even worth my time."

Krieg glance at the slim girl and then smirked, "Oh really, even though these little pirates think they can defeat me? You see that little girl? Do you want to know what I plan to do with her?"

Mihawk lokoed at him with disgust, "I'm leaving, like I said your not even worth my time, she will take care of you, if she truly means to be the Pirate King." He watched as Krieg revealed his weapons and sighed, "Fool."

Luffyko quickly got out of the way of the attack and on board the Baratie. "That was close." She turned back to look at the ship Zoro was on, "Usopp! Get going! Take care of Nami!"

Usopp stood up and nodded, "Me and Zoro will definitely get Nami back! You just make that cook one of us! Then we'll make a party of five and head to the Grand Line!" Usopp took her hat and then threw it up in the air so she could grab it sending his prayers for her with it, _'Please let her defeat that man, if she loses he will destroy everything about her we cherish.'_

Luffyko grabbed her hat and grinned, "Now get going!" She turned to the old man and grinned then, "Hey if I get rid of 'em, can we call it even?"

Zeff held back a smile, she and her swordsman had strong will, "Do as you please."


	18. Chapter 18

Luffyko watched as the pirates prepared to attack and grinned, "They're finally here! Here they come! And here I go!" She grabbed onto the railing and pulled back, "Gum Gum Rocket!" She cried as she launched herself forward twisting around so she could see her enemy, "Gum Gum Scythe!" She yelled as she knocked men off the floating pieces of their ship into the ocean. She grabbed onto a piece of the mast and swung over to it and watched the men swimming in the water.

Sanji looked at the men, "What is she? And the Grand Line has more of these kinds of people…"

"Sanji, watch carefully how she fights. Watch her until the battle finishes."

"Who else would I watch?" Sanji said as he looked towards the slim girl, "I just hope they don't cut her soft silky skin!" He then watched as she taunted Krieg.

"They gave you food to eat, but instead you attacked them! You don't even know how to be grateful! I'll send you to the sky!" She said with a grin as she looked at her enemy.

Krieg looked at the slim girl clinging to the mast, "You've chosen to fight on the sea where there is nowhere to stand. I know people who posses the power of the devil fruit are afraid of the sea. You little anchor."

Luffyko smirked in return, "But I can stretch instead!" Then the water began to flow making the two stop and turn to see as a platform come up around the ship. "Wow! That's so cool!"

Sanji stepped forward onto the fins, "Why don't we fight to our hearts content, pirates?"

Krieg looked at him and smirked, "Oh I see. The restaurant won't be harmed. How convenient for since we're going to take it. Now I want this ship even more."

When the cooks protested a small fish ship detached and began to move powered by two of the cooks. Luffyko looked at it in amazement, "Cool! I want one too!" She watched as it fired and grabbed on to the mast tighter as it moved from the force of the attack then turned to watch it fire again, "Not bad." She watched as it rammed Krieg only to have him stop it with one hand.

"I'm Don Krieg, the man who will conquer the world's seas!"

Luffyko glared at him, "I've told you before that I'll be the one to do that."

"I don't have time to play these games!" Don Krieg yelled as he picked up the small boat and tossed it.

Luffyko watched in amazement as Sanji jumped into the air and kicked the heavy metal boat away before it hit the restaurant. "That was awesome!"

Sanji landed and gave a small dance, "Did you see how amazing I am Luffyko?!"

Luffyko grinned and gave him a thumb up, "Way to go, Mr. Cook!"

Sanji's grin vanished when the pirates boarded the ship and then they began to beat the cooks. When the pirates continued to advance, Sanji stepped forward, "You won't step one foot inside here." The other cooks agreed and told Krieg why they wouldn't give them the restaurant. With renewed determination they attacked again this time defeating many of the pirates. Then a man wearing a large shield with pearls appeared and climbed up onto the deck of the ship and knocked away the chefs.

"What are you doing?" He stretched and grinned, "I am Iron Wall! Also known as Krieg Pirate's Invincible Iron Wall Shield Man. It is I Pearl!"

Zeff looked at the two main cooks that were now beaten, "Patty, Carne-are you okay?"

Pearl laughed, "How can they be okay? They were defeated by my killing punch, 'Pearl's Present'."

Another pirate grinned then went over to Patty, "Hey, this knife's not bad. I'll take it." He said as he grabbed the kitchen knife Patty had, however the unconscious Patty would not let go, "Let it go, give it to me!"

"Leave it." Sanji demanded as he walked over, "You bastard, leave it!" When the man looked up he received a quick kick to the face sending him flying back, knocking over three other of the pirates into Pearl. He caught the knife as it was falling from the air and glared at them.

Luffyko was amazed, "He really knows how to kick! I'm definitely interested in him…"

"A knife is a soul of a cook, an outsider doesn't deserve to touch a cook's knife." Sanji heard Patty groan out his name and handed him the knife, "Hold onto it and lay there. I'll finish these guys off." As the pirates charged him saying useless cooks couldn't beat them, he vanished appearing in the middle of them and then kicked them in a whirlwind fashioned as he supported himself on his hands. "What do you mean by useless cooks? I'll gut you like a fish!"

"Are you so arrogant that you only kick them?" Pearl asked as his fellow crewmates lay defeated around them. "Is this your principle?"

Sanji looked at the man uninterested, "A cook's hands are his life. He cannot injure them in battle." He raised his one foot and smirked, "So I'll finish you with these feet."

Pearl looked at Sanji in disbelief, "Finish me? Impossible. In my last sixty-one battles, I have one them all completely unharmed. I have never spilled a single drop of blood in a battle. Not a single drop, this justifies how strong I am! I'm the strongest of the strongest! I'm strong huh?" He bragged.

Luffyko looked at the man in disbelief, "Is he joking? It's not very funny."

"Hey straw hat!" Krieg yelled as he swirled a heavy chain, "If you look somewhere else, you'll get hurt!" He said as he swung the chain with the spiked ball at the mast she was on breaking it then sending it back sending it into the part of the mast she was clinging too sending her towards the restaurant and into pearl.

Pearl was finishing saying how strong he was when Luffyko hit him in the back of the head, hitting his face against the iron shield he held, "Are you alright my dear?" Sanji asked as she rolled over by him.

Luffyko grinned and started brushing herself off, "He scared me! I nearly fell into the sea.." She looked up and saw blood drip down Pearl's face and then watched as his crewmates began to panic and try to reassure the pirate it was only a nose bleed.

"This…this…this is dangerous!" Pearl said as he looked up nervously.

"He looks strange, what happened to him?" Sanji wondered aloud.

"Something about the nose bleeding?" Luffyko wondered as she began to pick at her ear.

Krieg also tried to reassure his subordinate, "Calm down Pearl! Don't get mad over a nose bleed!"

Sanji watched as Pearl began to bang his two shields on his hands together, "What the hell is he doing?"

"Bodily harm! Bodily harm! Bodily Harm!" As Pearl yelled his shields caught fire. "Fire Pearl! Special favor!"

Suddenly fire spread out from around him causing Luffyko to gasp and jump back, "Ah! It's hot!"

"With these shields of fire, I'm indestructible!" Pearl yelled going into an insane rage.

Luffyko ran around on fire, "Hot! Hot! Hot!" She repeated as she ran around trying to extinguish the flames.

Sanji caught her and put the flames out, "Shit he really plans to burn this restaurant down." He turned to Luffyko and pushed her back gently, "Don't worry I'll handle this." With that said he charged Pearl and all the fire, "Bastard! Don't you dare burn this restaurant!" He leaped and brought down his leg on one of Pearl's shields on his shoulder. When he landed in front of Pearl he listened as the other pirates wondered in amazement how he could withstand the fire Pearl was releasing. "Idiots. If I'm afraid of fire, then how can I call myself a cook?"

Pearl looked down at him in horror, "What an annoying guy!"

"Get this!" Sanji said as he flipped to his hands and pulled a powerful kick down into Pearl's chest and face, knocking him to the ground.

Pearl stood up holding his face as blood gushed out, "What kind of cook is he? This isn't good! Damn! Damn! Damn it! Fire! Fire! Fire Pearl keeps on burning!" He yelled as he launched tiny balls of fire towards the restaurant.

Zeff was able to extinguish them with one kick of his pegged leg. The small balls pounced harmlessly around him and everyone stared in amazement, "This is nothing." He said as he focused on the fight on hand.

Luffyko grinned at the man, "The old man is strong!"

Krieg glared at them, "If that's how it is, then I'll sink you and your 'fin' into the sea before the fire burns the restaurant." He swung his heavy chain with the spiked ball and aimed it at Sanji, who was surrounded by fire.

Luffyko ran through the fire complaining about the heat before jumping up, "Gum Gum Bazooka!" She cried as she launched the heavy chained ball back at Krieg. "Hot! Hot! Hot!" She yelled as her clothes began to catch fire.

Sanji looked at the slim girl in amazement, 'She shot back that spiked ball?" He looked over to see the spiked ball had broken another mast and that it was falling in their direction. He quickly picked up the slim girl and ran out of the fire as it came down onto Pearl's head. "My dear are you okay?" He asked as soon as they were in the clear.

Luffyko grinned and nodded and looked at Pearl, "What is he doing? This guy is stupid."

Krieg glared at them, "Every single time, I have to do everything myself."

Gin knocked Zeff over and pointed a gun at him, "This time you can end it, right?" Gin asked, hoping Sanji would give up and leave.

Luffyko looked as he put his hands in his pocket ready to give up, "Are you crazy you could die!"

"Maybe, but I'm glad you would care if a man like me would die." He said as he looked at the slim girl, then turned back to Gin ready for what was to come.

Gin clenched his jaw, "Sanji, why?"

"If you're so eager to die, let me do the honors." Pearl said as he stood back up, glaring at both the chef and girl. "I owe you one for my nose. Don't you dare move, if you don't want to get your boss's head blasted. He lunged then, "Ultimate Technique, Pearl Present!" He made contact with Sanji's face sending him into the ground and into the restaurant with a loud thud.

Luffyko went wide-eyed in terror, "Sanji! Why didn't you dodge that?"

Sanji tried to keep himself in control, he couldn't let Luffyko get involved and he couldn't let Zeff get hurt, "If I did that, he'd pull the trigger."

"Why are you doing all this? If you'd just abandon this restaurant, everyone will be saved! It's that simple!" Gin said hoping they would leave.

"This restaurant is that old man's treasure. I'm the one who took everything from that old fart. His power, and his dreams." He forced himself to stand up, "That's why, now…I don't want that old fart to lose anything, anymore!" Then he heard Pearl scream out an attack and Patty telling him to watch out, but before he could do anything he felt the shields crush into both sides of his head.

Luffyko clenched her jaw as she watched Sanji fall his eyes rolling back into his head. "Sanji…"

Sanji thought back to his past and clenched his fist and forced himself up, "He gave up his leg so that I could live. I too…if I don't place my life on the line as well, I won't be able to repay that old fart!"

"Why…why are you standing up, Sanji?"

"Even if I can make this restaurant last for just one moment longer."

"Yet another refined speech. But now, this restaurant will be out of business. From now on, it will be a pirate ship!"

Luffyko couldn't take it she lifted her leg high into the air, "Gum Gum Battleaxe!" She brought her foot down and shattered the fin, extinguishing the fire.

Krieg stared at the girl, "Is she trying to destroy the ship? Gin! Blow his head off! Hurry up!"

Gin looked down at the man, "But…he's the one who gave us enough to feed our men!"

"Gin, you bastard!"

"I wasn't fighting back at you." Luffyko said as she turned towards the man, "I only destroyed the fin."

Sanji looked at the girl, "What do you think you are trying to do?!" Was she trying to destroy the boat or was she trying to pick a fight that she had no chance of winning, no matter how strong she was.

"Sink it. I'm going to sink the ship." Luffyko said calmly.

Sanji walked up and grabbed her, "I thought you were going to say something else. Are you for real?"

"But if I destroy the ship, they can't get what they want."

"Ad what do you know about this!? What do you know about the immensity of my debt to this place?!" Sanji demanded no longer seeing Luffyko as a woman but instead of as someone endangering his goals.

Luffyko glared at him, "So you're going to die for it? Are you stupid?"

"What did you say?"

Luffyko slapped his hand away, "It's not about death!" She then reached out and grabbed his collar, "Dying isn't paying him back! That's not what he put his life on the line for! He save you so that you could live, yet you want to die?! Only a weak person would act like that!"

"Then what the hell do you suggest!?"

"Oh both of you stop arguing." Pearl said as he smirked at the two fighting, "Fighting amongst yourselves at a moment like this is just laughable. But you can't do anything regardless now that we have a hostage in our hands. How unfortunate for you, that you have to face us, the Don Krieg Pirates." He laughed and then clapped his shields together, "Now let my Fire Pearls burn you down!" He lunged at them only to be defeated by Gin in one blow. "Why? Gin…"

"Sorry Pearl, just stand aside."

"Gin, you're betraying me?!"

"Forgive me, Don Krieg. This person saved us. I don't want him to die like this. At least, let me finish him with my own hands."

"Have you lost your mind? My pirate fleet 'Battle commanding officer'?"

Sanji looked at Gin then, "Battle commanding officer-"

Luffyko grinned and struck a pose, "Look! Did you see how successful my 'decoy strategy of threat' was?"

"Stop lying! Do you really want to destroy the ship?"

"Sanji, I wanted you to get off this ship so that I wouldn't have to hurt you. But it doesn't look like that's gunna happen." Gin said as he looked at the two.

Sanji nodded, "Ya that's right. I won't go. This restaurant, I won't give it to you even if it costs my life."

"Then at least, let me kill you with my own hands. I can't make this right or wrong."

Sanji lit his cigarette, "Thanks. Eat shit."

Gin sighed and turned to the girl, "It's the same for you, Miss Straw-Hat."

"Not necessary, because I won't lose to a bunch of weaklings like you." Luffyko said seriously as she put her hands on her hips. When the men yelled at her for calling them all weak and said they were the strongest. Luffyko gave them a disbelieving look, "Don't you mean, the one with the most people?"

Sanji took a hit of his cigarette, "Looks like you hit 'em where it hurts."

"Yeah, definitely."

When the men began to charge Krieg called them off, "Back off! When a guy gets flustered because someone calls him weak, it's proof that he recognizes he is weak. Let the outcome determine the weak and the strong. I'm still here so don't make a fuss. Gin, you're responsible for killing that cook. That insolent wench, leave her to me."

"I understand, Don Krieg."

"Hey girl, I'll show you the power that conquered East Blue. I don't care if you've eaten a devil fruit. You will come to understand such a thing is meaningless."

"You never shut up." Luffyko said seriously as she looked at him from under her hat. "I want to kick your ass. That's it." She grinned then, "Shall we start then? You just wait right there for me."

"You're arrogant when I'm done with you, you will be an obedient lap dog, that is, if you don't die from your training."

Luffyko smirked and cracked her knuckles, "I won't die, and I'll be sure you will learn how to be gracious when I'm done with you, if you don't die from your training."


	19. Chapter 19

Luffyko watched as Sanji battled against Gin. "Sanji…" She watched her new friend watching over to make sure he wouldn't be killed. When Sanji got pinned under one of Gin's weapons she began to move forward as Sanji moved before the heavy bar could be dropped on him and returned a heavy kick to Gin's head only to have Gin return an attack into his ribs. Luffyko watched as both men coughed up blood and try to crawl up to prepare for the next round of attacks. When Sanji and Gin both stood up Luffyko noticed Krieg looking over at her and the fight, "Why is he looking over here?" She thought then grinned and hit her fist to her palm, "Okay! I'm gonna use this opportunity to kick his ass!" She ran forward running along a mast that stretched out towards him.

Krieg smirked as the slim girl ran towards him, "Don't be so zealous!" He flicked a small ball into the water and watched as it blew up in front of the girl. He then fired at her and smirked when he knew it hit her.

Luffyko grimaced as she felt the bullet go into her chest and push her backwards to the ground. She heard Krieg laugh and she slammed her hat down, "You bastard! Are you going to fight with me or not?"

"Fight with you? Is it necessary? I use methods to kill people. It is a human's power. Remember that, little monkey girl!"

"You better be careful messin' with the monkey!" Luffyko yelled as she stretched her mouth wide. Then she heard a sickening hit and turned to see Sanji curled up on the ground, "Sanji…" She watched as Gin went to finish Sanji off only to back off and Sanji returned with a heavy kick to Gin. However, his own attack was too much for his battered body to take and he fell back to his knees. Gin stood back up and walked over and got ready to finish off Sanji.

Gin looked down at the young man that had saved his life and felt tears fall down his face, "Damn it…I…Don Krieg! I really….I CAN'T KILL THIS MAN! DON KRIEG!"

"Gin," Luffyko said as she watched his declaration.

"I really can't. I really can't kill him." Gin repeated as tears fell down his face. He ignored Krieg's outburst and continued, "Because I…I am…for the first time…this was the first time anyone has ever been kind to me…that's why, I can't kill this man. I know, I don't plan on ever betraying you; I don't think anything we've done so far is wrong. I respect your strength, and am grateful to you. And I'm very happy that you praise my strength and let me be the commander. That's why I do whatever you say. And I'll still do it in the future. But…I simply cannot kill this man! Don Krieg I beg of you…COuldn't we just leave this restaurant alone?!"

Krieg stood up and yelled, "You bastard! Not only do you disobey my orders, but then you tell me what to do! Do you wish to die so much? I'm very disappointed in you. Didn't I always say that I detest those feelings of principle?!" He removed his shoulder shield and placed it on his hand and pointed it towards the Baratie. "The rest of you go to one side."

Gin gasped as he saw the shield's skull and crossbones open into a canon, "Don! That…MH5 the poisonous gas!?"

Luffyko looked at the man in horror, "Poisonous gas?!" She listened, as his men were terrified and trying to prevent their own destruction, "You bastard using that kind of attack in battle!"

"This is a battle. The purpose is to win. Treacherous? Desipicable? Don't you agree that this is acceptable? Winning is the goal. The method doesn't matter, only the goal is important. I don't care what consequence the poisonous gas will bring, as long as I win. That is strength." He watched as Gin slowly grabbed his mask and glared, "Throw away your mask! You aren't one of mine anymore. You must die."

Luffyko charged at him again, "I won't let you shoot that poisonous gas!"

"Stop interfering, girl." With that said he broke the mast she was running on with one punch causing her to roll to a stop only to see him pointing a gun at her.

Luffyko ran when she saw the pointed bullets aiming at her and rolled to safety on the broken fin, "Damn it. I've never heard such cowardly words. I'm gonna destroy him." She said as she slowly got up glaring at him the whole time.

Gin clenched his jaw and yelled at the small girl in front of him, "Do not mock Don Krieg! He's the strongest man alive! And it's impossible for you to win."

"Sanji glared at him, "You idiot! Open your eyes! That guy's trying to kill you!"

"Of course, for me to talk about my feelings is to betray the role I have." Gin explained in a calm manner. "That's why this is an obvious consequence!" He yelled as he threw away his mask to face his punishment.

Krieg smirked, "You realize at the end, eh? But it's too late. Die together with that cook. Poisonous Gas MH5."

Luffyko quickly grabbed two masks as the weapon was fired, "Sanji, Gin, use it! Now for mine…" She looked around and began to panic; everyone had vanished. "What?! Everybody has submerged!" The second before the attack landed a mask appeared at her feet and she quickly put it on. When the gas cleared she heard Sanji struggling with Gin, "Gin, your mask…did you give it to me?" Gin fell back and she tossed the mask aside and ran towards him when she heard Krieg laugh.

"You idiot. This happened because you made such a big deal out of food. I guess an idiot won't learn till he dies."

Sanji held Gin as he gasped up blood, "Gin….You chose the wrong man to follow." He said as he glared at Krieg who just laughed.

"Are you sympathizing with my little scumbag?"

"Scumbag?" Sanji asked outraged on Gin's behalf.

"That's right. An idiot who refuses my order without thought of the consequences, is no good for anything. Isn't killing him before he makes the same mistake again, a sign of my love?" He listened and watched as everyone reacted to Gin's state and when he saw Sanji attempting to save him he smirked, "It's useless. At the most he's got an hour."

"Don't die, Gin." Luffyko said as she gave a cold stare at Krieg, "Don't die for that guy. You have to survive, okay? I'll destroy that guy."

"No stop, you can't win against him…you are a girl."

Sanji grabbed her wrist, "Please don't do this I will fight. If you go straight at him, you'll fall into his trap! You'll die!"

"I won't die." She said with an unnaturally serious face. Sanji let go in surprise, she was almost like another person. Then she ripped away from him and ran at him leaving Sanji reaching out to stop her. However, she was already on the move, "If you wanna shoot me, then take your best shot!"

Krieg smirked at the slim girl, "Fool. Still trying even though you know you're going to lose. If you give up I'll try and be gentle." When she continued to run at him his smirk went to a frown, "You might die if you continue this, the sea is your hell, little girl." He threw out small bombs into the sea, "In front of you lies, your grave!"

"My grave?" She asked as she continued water splashed up and then he began to fire the pointed bullets at her.

Sanji watched as two bullets struck her in the leg and shoulder, "She's hit!"

Krieg stopped firing sure she was dead when he saw her still coming at him, "Fool! Come on then!" He brought his spiny cape out around him, leaving anywhere she would punch of spikes. "Come on!"

Sanji glared at him, "That's low." However Luffyko still brought her pistol like punch into him punching his face through the spiked cape. Sanji watched in horror as blood fell from her wounds and hand, which was covered in blood. "Luffyko…"

Luffyko ignored the cooks and pirates as she pulled out the spikes in her body, "So this is my grave? Your grave? My grave? Like hell. Don't decide my grave…" She looked up and gave him a smirk, "I'm not meant to die here."

Sanji saw Zeff beside him and tried to move to a comfortable position, "She's too reckless, she could die."

"Sometimes you see idiot like her. People that fight till the death once they've chosen their target."

Sanji looked at the small girl, "That fight till the death?" He envisioned the slim girl fighting and getting beaten at the hands of the powerful pirate and cringed. Then he heard Zeff's next words.

"To have that sort of person as your enemy is bad. This fight will end. Whether she wins or loses. I like those kind of people."

"You say you're not meant to die here?" Krieg asked the slim girl who had just punched him, "If this isn't your grave, then whose can it be?" He got up and put his shield into her stomach and fired.

Luffyko quickly lept up and dragged him to the ground with an outstretched leg. "No, it's yours!"

Krieg felt anger flow through him as everyone began to talk about the slim girl being able to fight on an even field as him. "Don't be ridiculous!" He brought his two shields together and a spear end came out as well as a long pole. He brought it down at the girl who jumped away only to have an explosion occur from the end of the spear.

Luffyko clung to a piece of mast and looked at the weapon, "What's that? It explodes…."

Krieg smirked at the slim girl, "Now then, how long are you going to run for? Let's see, little girl. The spear is totally different from those tiny ones earlier. After 2 or 3 hits with this, you won't survive. If it hits you, you're finished. " He brought the weapon back down by the mast she was on and swung down sending her and the mast flying.

Luffyko caught herself on a piece of the floating rail as she flew by bringing her back to safety, "What is that thing?" Suddenly her legs gave out from under her, "Huh? What the? My legs…."

Sanji looked at the girl helplessly, "The fight's lasted too long, she's lost too much blood. She's not gonna make it." He wanted to help her, but he couldn't move either. '_Why can't I help her?! She's a woman and I'm letting her fight…Why am I so weak? She will get scarred, her lovely soft silky skin will be ruined!'_

"Nothing you do will work." Krieg smirked as he saw the girl fall, "It's about time for your strength to reach its limit. Might as well give up and start trying to make me forgive you. Otherwise I can kill you or beat some of your training into you."

Luffyko looked around at the floating pieces of ship and fin, "Shit. Since the floor is in so many pieces I can't fight the way I want." Krieg jumped over and began to swing at her and she forced her body to obey and jumped over all of his attacks. However when one got close she jumped back slipping down the slipped incline of the rubble.

Krieg lunged making her jump into the air then smirked, "Die!"

Luffyko grabbed the spear as he swung it and held on, "That was close."

"You weak insect!" Krieg yelled as he raised the spear and slammed it down sending Luffyko flying into the air. As she fell he lunged at her.

Sanji watched in horror as an explosion occurred, "Luffyko!" She had gotten hit, there was no way she had dodged the attack. He watched as her charred body fell to the ground and turned away.

Luffyko forced herself back up, and Krieg smirked at her, "Not yet. You've pissed me off. I won't let you die so easily."

Sanji looked at the girl and all of the weapons Krieg had used on her, blood stained all of them, "Shit. That Krieg…He just brings weapons out one after the other."

"Even if he was equipped with a thousand weapons. He may not be able to defeat the one 'spear' that girl has."

Sanji turned to watch as another explosion occurred and Luffyko fell to the ground charred again. Why wasn't he strong enough to fight? A slim girl like her should be relazing in a chair with a nice frozen drink. Not fighting a monster like Don Krieg. "Nothing Special." He heard Krieg say as he watched the slim girl stand yet again. "You should realize who is the strongest here." Krieg said as he looked down at the slim girl.

"Life or death. In a pirate's fight, the one who hesitates even for a split second thinking about death can get crushed." Zeff said as he watched the slim girl stand yet again.

"What are you talking about?" Sanji asked amazed at the old man's calm resolve at watching the girl fight.

"At least…." He paused as another explosion went off that Luffyko was caught in and then continued when she slowly stood back up, "At least that kid has no hesitation."

Sanji clenched his jaw as she attacked the man again only to have another explosion hit her, sending her back to the ground. Sanji could barely contain himself as he looked over her slim body, "Is it that she has what it takes to survive? Or does her conviction mean she simply refuses to die?"

"Her conviction?" Sanji asked as she stood up yet again to Krieg. What was she made of?"

Krieg glared at the girl, "You damned…" When he saw her smirk again he swung his spear yet again, "Like I said! This is your grave!" He swung as she smirked and another explosion wrapped around them. "I'm the strongest man alive!"

Zeff stared at the battlefield and contained a smirk, "If Kireg's massive fleet is strength and his thousands of spears and poison are strength. Then that kids 'spear' is equal to it." Sanji watched in amazement as the smoke cleared to reveal Luffyko standing, her foot raised up and she held a smirk. Sanji realized she had blocked the last attack with a single delicate foot. "That same spear, I know someone like that. Someone who would get attached to that 'spear' for his own stupid reasons."

Krieg glared at the girl as she brought her foot down. At the same time the blade of his spear broke, "The Great Battle Spear! What did you do?"

Luffyko gave him a large grin, "I just punched it five times in a row. Your 'method' won't work anymore!" Her eyes narrowed, "Prepare yourself."

**AN: Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank everyone who has left a review I love them! I always get a warm happy feeling inside when I get them. I also wanted to say sorry for such a delay in an update. I moved earlier this week so that took time, but then I didn't have internet the entire weekend! So I'm so sorry and I hope you keep reading my story/stories! Thanks again for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

Luffyko smirked at the man before her as she drew herself up to her full height, "Get the picture now? This much space should be plenty for me. This much space will be enough to pulverize you!"

Krieg looked at the small girl in shock, "What?"

"That thing of yours, that spear is broken. It's nothing but a bomb on a stick now. It's power has halved."

Krieg smirked at the girl, "You think so?" She may have broken the spear tip, but she was weak now. She had lost too much blood and had been charred over and over again. There was no way she could defeat him. "Bomb on a stick, eh? That's not so bad. Its power is sufficient to blast you outta here. You're all battered up. Looks like you're barely making it."

Luffyko just smirked, "No, I'm not."

Krieg's smirk disappeared as he lifted his weapon, "Behold! Since you dared to defy the great Don Krieg, you are sentenced to death!"

"I'm not gonna die, so there!" Luffyko said as she stuck her tongue out at him. She watched as he lunged trying to bring the bomb down on her. She reached up and grabbed a mast that still stood tall. "Hey over here!" She yelled from the top of the mast.

"You little monkey, die!" He yelled as he swung again this time aiming for the mast she was on. He watched as she came back down with a mast in her arm, "Stupid bitch." He watched as she launched at him and he raised his arm and used a flamethrower to destroy it. "No use!"

Luffyko smirked and then began to throw punched, "Gum Gum Gatling Gun!"

Krieg smirked as her punches hit his armor. He stood there to show the slim girl his power, she would learn to fear him. "Useless! Against this metal armor, your punches are useless. It didn't even leave a scratch."

Luffyko raised an eyebrow and charged, "Gum Gum Pistol!" She yelled as she threw her strongest punch into his stomach, leaving the pirate hunched over her.

Krieg knocked her away with his bomb on a stick, sending her away in an explosion, "Enough of this!" He watched as she hit a wall and fell to her stomach, "Boring! Boring! This is absolutely boring! How could this armor possibly break with only a few hundred punches from this little girl?" He walked towards her and looked at her bent on her hands and knees, "Just stay like that girl, learn your place."

"I think I'm almost there." Luffyko said then looked up to where Krieg had been, "He's gone!"

"Over here." He taunted as he stood on top of the high mast. "Listen, with the best crafted equipment, the greatest power, and most powerful weapons; you'll be acknowledged to be strong. A very powerful person! The King of the Pirates!"

Luffyko smirked and charged the tilted mast, "And that'd be me!"

Krieg smirked and lifted his weapon, "Useless, you can't do much with persistence alone. He brought down the weapon in front of her and stared in shock when she continued running through it.

"Gum Gum Bazooka!" She yelled as she slammed her hands into his stomach sending him flying.

Krieg smirked as he went back, she was standing there in a daze, smoke rolling off of her. He threw his small bombs out with a grin, "It's no use! This is the limit of your strength." He heard a crack and looked down at his armor and saw it begin to shatter, "What?! My invincible armor is breaking?" He looked back at the girl and still saw her unmoving, "But it's too late. You're done for, little girl!"

Sanji watched in horror as he saw the bombs, "Luffyko, run it's a trap!" He watched her stay motionless as the bombs began to destroy the remaining part of the ship she stood on. He felt his heart tighten as he screamed, "LUFFYKO!" Seawater fell over him as he looked at where the girl had been. Suddenly he saw something shoot into the sky.

Krieg also saw it and screamed in shock as the slim girl appeared before him, "What?!"

"Gum Gum Bazooka!" She yelled with a smirk as she slammed her hands into the broken armor, shattering the armor into hundreds of pieces. She watched as he fell to the water and then she her limbs out in a victorious pose, "I win!"

Krieg awoke then, "You wish, damn brat!" He yelled as he raised a hand and shot a steel-net around her.

"He's still alive?!" She said in shock as the net inclosed her, dragging her towards the water, "Oh no."

Krieg laughed, he had captured the slim girl, "You can't run away from this iron net!" He looked below him and continued laughing, "The sea is below us! It's clear who the victor is, little girl! Start begging and I might decide to let you live. I could always enjoy a new pet. Give up girl, I'm always the one who has the last laugh!"

Luffyko smirked at him and pushed her hands and feet out of her net, "No problem, 'cuz my hands and feet are still free. She wrapped her feet around the net and down to him, "This time, it's really over! Gum Gum Sledgehammer!" She yelled as she spun him into the ground.

Sanji watched in amazement as he watched her crush Krieg into the ground, '_Having what it takes to survive, refusing to die…why all this?'_ He looked at the slim girl as she fell into the ocean, net still around her. He listened to everyone's shock as the truth became quite clear, Don Krieg, the strongest pirate in the East Blue had just been beaten by a small girl. He looked at the girl's hat that she had left by him during the battle, she had did it, she had defeated him.

Zeff looked at the boy and took a step forward, "If you've got the time to space out, why don't you go and rescue her? She's not going to resurface, you know." When he saw Sanji's surprise he continued, "Those who gain powers from the devil fruit are cast away by the sea, becoming deadweight in waters."

"What'd you say, old fart?!" Sanji yelled in horror as he began to take off his shoes and jacket, "Why didn't you say so earlier?! I'll hold you responsible if anything happens, to the lady!" He dove in and swam deeper and deeper searching for the slim girl who had defeated his enemy. '_Please be alright, I can not bear to live knowing it was my fault a woman died. Please…Where is she?'_ He swam farther down and then saw her on the bottom, captured in the metal net. "Hey, hang in there!" He yelled underwater as he brought her body closer to his. _'Please don't die, aren't you the one who refuses to die? Isn't that what you believe in?'_ He finally managed to pull her out, all the while thinking about her and her swordsman who fought for his dream, he began his ascent as he thought of the two '_All of 'em, where do they get their strength from?' _As he looked towards the surface he saw the All Blue before him and realized the truth. He broke to the surface and looked to the girl, "Luffyko, don't you dare die on me now!" He made it back to the restaurant and laid the girl out, "You can't die, you hear?! You've got things to do, don't you?" He began to give her CPR and looked at the slim girl terrified he had taken to long to save her, "Hey, you can't just die! Say something already! Luffyko, don't die!" Then he saw her move, she was just asleep, with a sigh of relief he sat down and then messed with her hair, "Why you…" He looked down at the slim girl and gave a small sigh of relief; she was safe.

Luffyko woke up in a strange room. She reached up to check her hat and when she noticed it was gone she began to panic, "Where is it? Where's my straw hat!"

Sanji turned and saw the slim girl and handed her the hat, "There you go my dear!" He watched her put it on and sobered up a little, "Are you all right now?"

Luffyko looked around and noticed she was alone in the small room with Sanji, "Eh? Where'd they go?"

"They're gone thanks to you. 'We might meet again at the Grand Line,' was what Gin said."

"Gin, eh? He told you that?"

Sanji felt his eyebrow twitch but looked at the girl again and shook his head, "No he was talking about you of course, dear little Luffyko!"

"Oh ya, since I kicked 'em out, guess I'm off the hook with all the work here?"

Sanji turned to her with a frown, "Congratulations…"

"But, about you…"

Sanji knew where she was going and turned away to the sea, "I'm not going. As much as I would love to be able to see your beautiful face, I don't want to be a pirate. I'm staying here to continue being a cook, until that old fart acknowledges my cooking skills."

Luffyko looked down then, "I see…I'll give up then."

Sanji felt her hand grabbing him, "Your hand isn't giving up!" He said till she let go, "I know it will be hard to part for me too…but I can't go. They're all unreliable around here. But I'll go there someday, to the Grand Line."

Luffyko shot over by him and grinned, "Then, let's go now!"

"Not now. Hey, have you ever heard of 'All Blue'?"

"Nope."

"What? You haven't?!" Sanji's face broke out in a large smile, "It's a mystical sea! In that sea fish from all over- Eas Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and South Ble, can all be found there! It's like a wonderland for cooks like us and it's in the Grand Line! So, have you heard?"

Luffyko listened to Sanji till it was lunch. When they arrived in the room there was no where to sit, "Where's the food?"

Sanji glared at them, "Where do we sit?"

"We didn't save a seat for you, eat on the floor." One of the cooks said as they continued to eat.

"No seat? How can that be? This is a restaurant for crying out loud!" He got his food and sat on the ground, "Oh well."

Luffyko walked over with her plate and sat down next to Sanji, "They're acting weird."

"It's what they always do." Sanji said as Patty took a sip of his soup and asked whose it was. "Oh it's me! Me!" He said excitedly, "It's pretty good, eh? Today's is even more exceptional."

"I could hardly swallow this piece of crap!" Patty said.

Luffyko ate as she watched the cooks began to tell Sanji his soup was bad only to have Sanji yell back. She watched as the owner punched him and then as Sanji ran out the door upset. Curious of how the soup tasted she went over and began to try a bowl. "This soup's great!" She said as she began to get herself another bowl.

Zeff towards toward the slim girl then, "I know. Sanji's cooking is revered by everyone here." Luffyko listened as the other chef's agreed and supported what Zeff said. "If we didn't pull this off he would never leave, the stupid brat. Hey girl, you mentioned that you needed a cook on your ship, right? I'm not trying to force you or anything, but that brat of ours, care to take him with you? To the Grand Line. The Grand Line is what he's always dreaming about. How about it girl?"

"No." She took another bite of food as she listened to the chef's outrage, a number of them wondering if it was due to Sanji's affection towards woman.

"Didn't you say you need a cook on your ship?" Zeff asked the slim girl. "Or do you not like the guy?"

"It's nothing like that. I want to take him with me, but he said that he wanted to stay here as a cook. I can't take him along even if you guys insist."

"So you're saying that you can't do anything about it unless he says 'yes'?"

"Exactly. Seconds please!" Luffyko said with a smile. However, Zeff ignored as he thought aloud how to change Sanji's mind. However something burst through the door catching everyone's attention. She heard them mention merman and shark so she walked through the chefs, "Hmm what's going on…eh? Yosaku?" She walked forward and sure enough she found him in the jaws of a shark. She bent down closer to him, "Why are you the only one here? Where's everyone else, where's Nami?"

Sanji sighed and helped the man get dried off so he could undergo Luffyko's interrogation. "We didn't catch up with her. But from the direction she was headed, we roughly knew her destination."

"Why didn't you bring her back then?"

Yosaku looked away from the girls big expecting eyes, "Well about that, if her destination really is where we calculated, it'd be a dangerous place. Anyways, we need your help. Please come with me!"

"Okay! I don't really get it, but I get it!"

Sanji looked at the man and rolled his eyes, "Needing help from a delicate lady, pathetic." He watched as the girl and the man walked towards him and stopped him, "All of hold on to foolish dreams. I'm gonna do this for my own dream, for All Blue. As you wanted, I'll go with you, my fair lady." He said as he dipped down and laid a kiss on one of her slim hands. "On this road to be the Pirate King. Allow me to take up the position of cook aboard your ship. Also allow me the honor of being the lovely Nami's and your knight in shinning armor."

Luffyko gave a huge grin, "Okay!" Yosaku looked at the girl in surprise then heard murmor, "So cool he has shiny armor! I can't wait to see it!"

"Luffyko?" Sanji asked when she suddenly got quiet.

"This is amazing!"

Yosaku smiled, "Isn't this great, little sis Luffyko?"

"Yay! Yay! We got our cook!" Luffyko sang as she danced in a circle with Yosaku. "We'll always have something to eat now!" Luffyko said as they danced in a circle. She allowed Sanji to talk to the chef's before being lead to Sanji's ship, "Oh nice ship! Are you sure we can use this?"

Zeff smiled down at the slim girl, "It's Sanji's, so of course you can." He watched as she held a bag open and continued to take more of their food, even after they asked if it was enough. He then pulled out a his log book, "Girl, you want this? It's my journal during the year I ventured the Grand Line."

Luffyko just grinned, "I don't need it."

"Thought so."

She watched him leave then hulled the food she had managed to take to the ship. She put it away then went out to watch Sanji come out with his belongings. She smiled when two of the cooks attacked him for revenge over the years only to be easily beaten by a single kick. When he told her they could go she looked at him, "You sure? No goodbyes?" He replied no, but then Zeff called out to him. Luffyko gave a gentle smile as she listened to their goodbyes and watched their tears. With everything said she grinned, "Let's go!"

"Till we meet again you damned bastards!" Sanji yelled as they began to sail away.

Luffyko grinned then looked forward, "Alright men, let's go get Nami!"


	21. Chapter 21

Luffyko woke up from her nap on the bow of the ship. She stretched out and grinned, "The weather's wonderful!" She jumped down and ran to the stern of the ship, "So the Grand Line's over in that direction?" Then back to the bow, "or is it over this way?"

Sanji stared at her with hearts in his eyes, "Luffyko! You are so full of energy!"

Luffyko grinned at him, "We finally got a chef on our crew! Now to find Nami, so we can finally head for the Grand Line!"

Sanji gave a sigh remembering the girl, "Nami…Just thinking about her inexplicable beauty makes me jump for joy! I sure would like to see her again soon! Nami and Luffyko charting their way to the Grand Line! All that's left is to get the lovely Nami!"

Luffyko grinned and sat down on the bow again, "Hey Yosaku are we almost there? The island where Nami is at?"

Yosaku slammed his hand down and pointed at the girl, "You're too naïve! Way to naïve! We are getting closer and closer to Arlong's base! At that time, Big Sis Nami's eyes were studying Arlong's picture carefully. Things aren't that simple! Big Sis Nami wants to take that 2 millioN beli that's on Arlong's head! While we're taking it easy here, she could for all we know, have already snuck into Arlong's base!"

Luffyko stretched and yawned, "It's about time for lunch, don't you think?"

"Of course, my lovely Luffyko!" Sanji said with a grin when Yosaku stood up in shock.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of Arlong?!"

"Arlong who's that?" Sanji asked.

"Never heard of him." Luffyko said then looking at Yosaku seriously.

Yosaku blew his whistle then, "Alright hold up. Guess I'll have to explain who Arlong is to you two! Arlong is a merman, who's already been to the grand Line."

"Hmm a merman, never seen one before." Luffyko said as she began to start thinking.

"Merman…come to think of it, I've heard that there's a merman island on the Grand Line and that there are lots of gorgeous mermaids there!"

Luffyko began drawling then, "Those mermen…do they look anything like this?" She asked as she showed a picture of a fish with four legs.

"What a masterpiece, Luffyko!"

"Couldn't you two be more serious here?!" Yosaku asked, upset they were taking this threat so lightly. "Fine, I'll start again from the top! The reason why the grand Line's called the pirate's grave is because there are three superpowers that exist there. One of them are the warlords of the seas, in plain terms, they are seven pirates whom are acknowledged by the government."

"What the hell does that mean?" Sanji asked, "Why would pirates be acknowledged by the government?"

"Because the warlords would give a fixed percentage of the treasure they get to the government. To other pirates, they're just government dogs. But they're powerful! The man who defeated Zoro, Hawk Eyes Mihawk is one of them."

"Wow! That's amazing!" Luffyko said excitedly as she clapped her feet together. "There are seven of them like him? They must really be something!"

Yosaku glared at her and tried to stress the importance of what he was telling her, "Amoung the warlords, there is a merman, Jinbei, who's the captain of a merman crew. And the guy who fight alongside Jinbei in the Grand Line, is a most wicked, devastating pirate…another merman, Arlong!"

Luffyko drew another picture of a merman, a fish hat had arms and legs, "Kinda like this?"

"You are so amazing, Luffyko!" Sanji praised.

"Ever since Arolong came to the East Blue he's already overturned over 20 villages. His power is far beyond Don Krieg!"

"So then, why would Nami run off to someone like that, alone?" Sanji questioned.

"As I said, she's after the bounty on Arlong's head."

Sanji shook his head and invisioned Nami as a mermaid, "No, Nami might just be a mermaid herself! I mean, she's totally cute!"

Luffyko added hair to her most recent picture, "Like this?"

Sanji held back a yell as she destroyed the vision of Nami, "No, not like that." He said as he forced himself to re-imagine the girl of his dreams.

"Don't you guys understand what I'm trying to say here?" Yosaku demanded.

"Yeah, that they're really strong mermen, right?"

Luffyko nodded blankly not really understanding, "I get the picture."

"No, you don't understand! You have no idea how powerful the mermen really are."

"We'll find out once we get there. So don't worry." Luffyko said trying to stop Yosaku from worrying.

"Well it's time to get started on lunch."

"Right on, lunchtime!" Luffyko cheered.

Yosaku rushed forward, "Can't you take this seriously?" He sighed when he remembered who he was talking to and let go, sending the girl back into the sea. "Ah! I forget!"

Sanji pushed him aside and dove in after the rubber girl who was beginning to sink. He pulled her back into the boat and glared at him, "You bastard, she can't swim!"

Yosaku paled as the cook glared him down, "It was an accident."

Luffyko sat up, "I'm alright! No worries! Thanks Sanji now I want food!"

Sanji sighed and began walking to the kitchen, "What would you like Lu-" He had turned around and he wasn't able to finish his sentence as he watched the slim girl unbutton her vest and then saw him looking at her. "Luffyko!"

Luffyko brought a finger to her mouth, "Shh, don't tell Nami." She then began to slip out of her shorts when Sanji grabbed his coat and wrapped it around her. "What's this for?"

"We wouldn't want a certain someone to see your loveliness." He said as he glared at Yosaku who was still wide eyed.

Luffyko shrugged uncaring, "Okay…" She then finished stripping out of her wet clothes and laid them in the sun before lying back on the bow of the ship. "Sanji, I'm still hungry."

"Right away Luffyko!"

_Meanwhile…._

Zoro sat on the ship with Usopp and Johnny. Ignoring their pointless babble. They had wrapped his injury up and all he could think of was how Luffyko was. He knew she had to of defeated Don Krieg, she was powerful, but had she been injured? That was the question on his mind. He kept seeing her beaten body and he shook with fury, what if that useless cook hadn't helped her? He shouldn't have left her, regardless of his injuries. However, Luffyko would have been angry if he hadn't gone after her navigator. He had to admit though they did need Nami. Without her they wouldn't be able to navigate the Grand Line, and they wouldn't have anyone to help keep Luffyko's streaking in check. Which reminded him who she was with currently, '_If he sees her, I will kill him. That love cook…'_

"We're finally here…Arlong Park!" Johnny said loudly interrupting Zoro's thoughts.

"This is it? The base of the merman pirate, Arlong, who survived the Grand Line, is Nami really in there?"

Johnny looked at Usopp as they tried to make a plan, "Firstly, if Big Sis Nami is really here, then we should be able to find the Going Merry. So shall we check if it's really anchored at this island first?"

Usopp nodded in agreement, after all it was better than landing their ship, "Ya we should."

Zoro slammed his sheath down and began to stand up. The longer they took to find the Nami, the longer it would take before he could go back and check on Luffyko, "Prepare to rush in!"

"Why would we do that?" Johnny cried out.

"You moron! We don't know anything about this place!"

"Our opponents are mermen!"

"We should plan everything out!" Usopp said as he watched Zoro turn around and lean over the bow.

"Sorry, but I don't do those cowardly things! Luffyko has asked me to bring that woman back. I don't care who the opponents are, but I'll surely get her back!" He looked forward, Luffyko gave him an order and he would complete it as fast as possible. "Let's go."

"No thanks." Usopp and Johnny said as they hit him in the back of the head with a hammer. They quickly tied him up and then Usopp began to scout the area, "There is is! It's the Going Merry! But why would it be over there?"

Johnny looked at his map, "So Big Sis Nami is definitely here."

Zoro glared at the two, "What's the meaning of this? Untie me!"

The two ignored him and Johnny showed Usopp his map, "This part's to the east of Arlong park, Kokoyashi Village. But this is weird, why would she anchor so far away from the park?"

"Untie me, damnit!" Zoro yelled, he had already failed Luffyko once, he was not going to fail again.

"You got deadly wounds all over you." Usopp said with a grin, showing he would not untie him. He then lightly pressed on his wound and held back a laugh, "So just sit there quietly and rest! I'll handle the rest."

Zoro tried to hold in the pain, '_Why…I'm gonna kill you one of these days!'_ he screamed in his mind. He watched as Usopp proudly said he would bring Nami back and shot a glare at him. There was no way he would let Usopp look good. He watched as he began to give orders until they saw the mermen and then they hid, "Why don't we dock here?!" He yelled frustrated only to be shushed by the two other boys. Then Usopp began to yell at him which only added to his frustration, "You don't have the right to be mad!" He sighed as Yosaku and Usopp talked over what to do and then heard Usopp say they could just say they couldn't get her back. '_This is not happening, I told her I would get that woman back.' _"Hurry up and untie me, idiot!" Then he saw the fishmen coming towards him and then watched as the two abandoned him, tied up and defenseless. "Hey at least untie me!" He yelled after them as they swam away.

"What only one guy?" One of the mermen said as they boarded the ship.

"Maybe he just drifted here from somewhere." The other said ignoring him.

"You could say that." Zoro said trying to keep his anger in control, '_I will kill them when I see them again.'_

"I see…I gues the injury came from the crew of this ship torturing you. Anyways let's bring him to Arlong before anything else happens."

Zoro clenched his jaw and looked back over the ocean, '_Luffyko better be okay…I hope she gets here soon…'_


	22. Chapter 22

Luffyko was enjoying her lunch when Sanji heard a noise, "Shh quiet." He demanded as he leaned over the boat.

Luffyko watched as the large cow like monster appeared, "It's a cow!"

"Not a cow, cow's don't swim…a hippo?"

Yosaku glared at the two, "Who cares! It's obviously from the Grand Line! What is it doing all the way out here?"

Luffyko looked at the monster, "Why is it staring at us?"

Yosaku looked at the cow then at the food, "It wants the food! Give it to him before he sinks the ship!"

Luffyko punched it sending it back into the water, "Bad sea cow! Stay away from the food!" They watched as the sea cow reappeared and Luffyko got ready to punch again, "Want more?"

Sanji stopped her, "No need for violence, it's just a baby and can't feed herself yet." Sanji picked up a plate and offered it to the monster, "Don't be scared, I won't hit you." Right before the cow could take a bite Sanji kicked it under the jaw sending it back into the water.

"What the hell are you doing?! Damn jerk!" Yosaku yelled at him.

Sanji shrugged, "It was going to eat me too, what else could I do?" Luffyko watched as it reappeared again, madder than ever. And got ready to fight. "Stand back, let your knight in shinning armor take care of this." He ran up and at the monster and sent a powerful kick knocking it out into the sea then sat down beside Luffyko and began to pour her drink for her. "That was refreshing."

"Food!" Luffyko cheered as she continued to eat. "What if we tied a rope to the monster and had it swim us to Nami's village?" She wondered as she ate another sweet roll.

Sanji and Yosaku looked at her in surprise then quickly set about tying their small ship to the massive sea monster. "Great idea, lil sis Luffyko."

Sanji nodded and then began to wake the great beast. "Alright you big Hippo go in that direction, or else."

Luffyko cheered as her ship began its quick journey toward the island. "We will be there in no time!" She let a small smile creep to her face, 'Zoro, Nami, Usopp, soon we will be reunited under the same flag.' She thought as the wind rushed past her face. "Let's go!"

_Meanwhile_…

Zoro sat in his cell and thought about his encounter with Nami and Arlong. There had to be a reason Nami was working with him. She wouldn't be just anyone's navigator, and her relationship with Luffyko had been that of sisters. No Arlong had something over Nami and he would figure it out and get Nami back on their ship. Luffyko had told him to bring her back and that was what he would do. He heard someone enter the cell and looked up to see Nami. She cut his ropes and left him his sword; "Get out of here while Arlong is gone."

Zoro looked down at the ropes then picked up his sword. "Well might as well prepare to take Nami back." He walked out of the cell and found the fish men waiting around. "Well hello, fish freaks. Let's take care of business." He easily took care of them and then sat in the seat Arlong had sat in earlier. "She told me to run. But there's just nowhere else to go but here. Besides Luffyko told me to bring her back…I wonder what she's up to…it's starting to get messy around here." He watched the sky for a bit longer and sighed, "Luffyko where are you…five more minutes of this and I will keel over from boredom." That's when he heard a fishman over the wall of the park. He watched three poles moving and listened as the fishman was attempting to catch a fish only for it be himself. Zoro walked over and got over the wall so he could look down at the fishman.

"That was weird." The octopus fishman said as he climbed back up the ledge where he had been sitting.

"Sure is." Zoro responded catching the fishman by surprise.

"Hey! Who are you? Speak up now!" He then paused and gave him a questioning look then pointed to himself, "Who me? I'm Hatchan, but all my friends call me Hatchi!"

"Are you a fishman too?"

"Of course, of course! I'm an amazing octopus fishman!" He waved his arms to show off the six arms he had. "It looks to me that you are just a human."

"Um…yeah."

"A marine, or possibly a guest?"

"A guest?" Zoro looked back and looked over his work, the beaten fishmen littering the courtyard of Arlong Park. "I guess you could say that."

"Arlong isn't here is he?"

"No, I thought you might know where he is."

"Apparently, there is some long nose guy causing trouble. So Arlong locked up the long nose's friend inside here and went to Cocoyashi Village to hunt down that pesky trouble maker."

Zoro helped back his groan, 'Usopp…well I guess I better save him.' He jumped over and stood next to the fishman, "This Cocoyashi Village, how do I get there?"

Hatchan pointed to a floating pot, "Get in. You are a guest; hop in, I'll take you, swordsman.

Zoro kept his guard up as they made their way to the village, while Hatchan talked the entire way there. 'Hopefully I find Usopp soon. Luffyko won't be happy if he gets killed.'

"We're here." Hatchan announced as Zoro jumped out of the pot, "Cocoyashi Villlage, Arlong should be somewhere around here."

"Oh, great. Thanks."

"No problem! Bye now!" Hatchan said as he jumped into the water, "Oh one more thing! I completely forgot to ask you your name!" Zoro froze, then Hatchan continued "What do you mean? We've been over this, I told you my name! Hatchan! Nice to meet you."

Zoro sighed as the fishman swam away, "That was strange." He slowly made his way into the village when he heard one of the villagers talking about Usopp. He walked over and slammed his hand beside the man's head, "What do you mean he's been captured?"

"Ya they took him back to Arlong Park just a little bit ago."

"That courageous young man stood up to Arlong and the fishmen. He's probably dead by now."

Zoro looked down at his hand, "This is bad…they won't be forgiving after my little visit." He quickly turned around an quickly started to run, "Osopp, hold on!" Zoro clenched his teeth, where was he? Where was Arlong? He continued running till he heard a boom and the birds began to fly away. Then the forest began to shake. He looked where the noise was coming from and saw a ship. His mouth dropped in amazement, then horror as he realized it was heading straight for him.

The ship with Zoro, smashed to the bow hit a cliff and stopped. "Whew, we're here guys!"

"What the hell were you doing?!" Zoro yelled as he pulled himself out of the wreckage.

Luffyko stood there and tilted her head, "What do you mean? We are here to pick up Nami, duh. How come you haven't found her yet? Oh ya what about Usopp and Johnny?"

"Usopp! Oh no, come on we have to hurry!"

"Why what's going on?" Luffyko asked.

"That dumbass has been captured by Arlong! We have to hurry before they kill him!"

"He's already dead!"

Zoro turned and saw Johnny, "What?!"

"We are too late, Big Bro Usopp is dead. Nami murdered him!"


	23. Chapter 23

Luffyko stared at Johnny as he began to badmouth Nami about her only caring about money and even killing Usopp for it. She clenched her teeth then stormed over to Johnny and grabbed his shirt and shook him, "Bastard! Say that again and I will kill you!"

Zoro stood up and walked over to her, "Stop if Luffyko, this has nothing to do with Johnny."

"I don't care if you don't believe me, but I saw it with my own eyes. Nami killed Big Bro Usopp!" Johnny said as the slim girl shook him again.

"You are making up crap!" Luffyko shook him again. She didn't believe him, she never would. Nami was just like an older sister, she had always taken care of her and everyone else. "There is no way Nami would have killed Usopp! We're friends!"

"Who's friends, Luffyko?"

"Nami!" Luffyko said surprised dropping Johnny and turning towards the older girl.

"Why did you come here?"

"What are you talking about? You're my friend, and my navigator. I came to get you." Luffyko said as she bent down to pick up her hat that had fallen earlier.

"How annoying. Friends? Don't make me laugh. You're more like a pathetic group of cooperators, don't you think?"

Johnny glared at Nami as she pushed away the small girl's feelings and trust, "You! I saw you with my own eyes! How dare you kill Big Bro Usopp!"

"And your point is? You wanna try killing me to avenge him? I'll tell you what. Right now Arlong wants to kill Roronoa Zoro and his posse. All because Zoro went and did something stupid. You guys may have these monster-like powers, but you're no match for real monsters. Hang around this island long enough, and you guys will be killed for sure. Well it doesn't concern me." Nami said with a smirk.

Zoro looked over and saw Sanji lovestruck trying to convince Nami to go on a cruise with him, "Shut up, you will only make it worse. Nami where is Usopp?" He demanded, he wasn't going to be nice if she continued to hurt Luffyko and her dreams.

"At the bottom of the sea."

"Why you, quit your bullshit!" Zoro yelled as he charged at her only to be stopped by Sanji.

"So swordsmen attack women too? Roronoa Zoro?" Sanji asked as he took a hit of his cigarette.

"What did you say?"

Nami watched as the two began arguing, "If you're going to fight, do it off the island. You outsiders quit sticking your nose into this island's business. You still don't get it? The only reason I got close to you guys was for the money, nothing else. Now that you guys have nothing, you're no use to me. I'll return the ship, so why don't you go find a navigator and head to the Grand Line. Go find the One Piece or whatever. Just get the hell out of here! You're a bother!" Nami looked over them seeing if her message had gone through, "Goodbye."

"Nami…" Luffyko said then slowly closed her eyes and fell to her back. When Johnny went to check on her she said, "I'm going to sleep."

"Sleep!?" Johnny asked the small girl as she laid in the road getting comfortable. Yosaku agreed, "In the middle of the road?"

"I don't feel like leaving the island, I don't care what's happening here. I'm a bit sleepy, so I'm sleeping."

Nami clenched her hand, "THEN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! GO AHEAD AND DIE!" She yelled as she turned and took off running away from them.

Zoro sighed and sat down by his captain. He looked at her slim figure and sighed, she wasn't going to budge. "Alright, relax here."

"really?! You're the target of Arlong and his gang, you know! Why don't you run away?" Yosaku asked.

Johnny nodded, "Ya, now that we know Nami is that kind of low life, there is no reason for you to stay on this island!"

"Reason to stay on this island? There is the reason." He said as he looked at his slim captain, sprawled out in the road. "She is still staying here."  
"Are you saying that even you're thinking of getting Nami back as a partner?" Johnny asked, shocked that they even thought of taking her back.

"I don't care about that. She decides who becomes our navigator."

Johnny looked at Zoro who was watching his slim delicate captain sleep and sighed, "Fine, then our job is done. Even though it's been short it was nice seeing you."

Yosaku nodded, "I don't want to die in vain."

"Okay take care." Zoro said with a shrug, there was no way they would convince him to leave his sleeping captain.

Johnny stopped and looked at him then Luffyko, "Don't die because of a pirate girl." He saw Zoro glare at him then waived, "Well then, until we meet again."

Sanji watched as they walked away before he turned to Zoro, "You can go catch up with them. I can watch over Luffyko."

Zoro glared at him, "There is no way I would let a defenseless girl anywhere near you."

Silence came back and Sanji took another hit, "Hey, why was Nami crying?"

"That woman…crying?"

"She was crying in her heart."

"What? Crying tears of guilt for killing Usopp?"

"You're serious?" Sanji smirked then as he realized that Zoro wasn't able to see the truth, "You seriously think Nami killed that long-nose?"

"Nami didn't kill him, is that what you said?" Zoro asked as he held his sword ready to attack. They began to argue and when Sanji lunged both Sanji and Zoro's attack hit Usopp. "He's still alive?"

Sanji cringed slowly removing his foot, "Nope. I think he's dead now."

The noise woke up the sleeping captain who cried out when she saw him, "Usopp! Did Nami do this to you!"

Sanji smiled sheepishly, "No, actually that was him and me."

"Luffyko?"

Luffyko grinned as Usopp slowly looked around then as he began to argue with the other two guys. When they brought up Nami. "Damn him, Johnny was lying after all!" She listened to Usopp's story nodding, she knew Nami could never kill one of them.

"I think there is a reason she is with Arlong and his pirates." Usopp said as he thought back.

"Of course."

"So what do we do now? Rush Arlong Park?" Zoro wondered.

Usopp quickly put up his hands, "Hold on! Before that we should ask Nami for a better explanation!"

"Either way it's useless. No matter what you guys do, Along's reign won't end."

Luffyko looked at the girl in front of her with her tattoo's, "Who is that?"

"Nami's big sis." Usopp explained as Sanji began to make heart eyes at her.

Zoro was the only one who kept focus, "What do you mean it's useless."

"Do us a favor, don't meddle with this village's business anymore. Leave Nami alone. I'll tell you the reason why. Once you hear the reason, you must leave this place."

"Then tell us the reason or whatever." Usopp said.

Luffyko just began to walk forward, "I'll pass. I don't care about her past."

"Where are you going, my lovely captain!" Sanji called after her, watching the small sway of her hips.

"A walk."

"What do you mean a walk?! Aren't you going to listen to the story?!"

"Ya, I'll pass."

Nojiko watched the small girl walk away, "What's with her?"

Zoro sighed and went under a tree, he wasn't going to bother his captain. He knew she didn't want anyone with her. "Don't mind her, she's like that. Go on tell your story."

Luffyko heard Nojiko begin her story and she continued to walk away. She was glad Zoro had left her alone. She wanted Arlong, she wanted him to suffer for taking Nami from her. Nami was a sister to her, and one of the few people who had tried to take care of her. She knew all she needed, Nami was their friend, and Arlong was their enemy. She just needed to wait for the others, and for Nami. As she was walking she noticed shadows before her. She looked up and saw three mermen standing on the road. "What? So those are mermen?" She thought back to her drawings and sighed, such a let down. She continued walking straight ahead going in between them.

Hatchi watched her go past him her head barely reaching her hip, "Hey! Wait! You!"

"Huh you were calling me?"

"You, who are you? What are you doing on this island?"

Luffyko stared at the merman talking to her, he looked like an octopus, "What does it matter to you?"

Hatchi stared at her surprised, "Well, you got a point there…Just like you said…"

"I'm Luffyko, I'm taking a walk." She said as she began her walk again. "Mermen are weird." She said after the octopus man shouted at her to have a nice day.

"Smartass where are you headed?"

"How should I know." She responded to the new voice, continuing her walk. She didn't know the island, obviously she didn't know where she was going. Hadn't she already told them she was just taking a walk? She sighed and continued till she made it to a village. Walking towards her was a man with a pinwheel hat and a group of marines, including a mouse like one. She listened as the man leading asked about Nami only to have the marine to tell him to be quiet. "Why does he have a pinwheel on his hat?" She wondered aloud as she watched them walk off. "That's too cool!" She awed thinking of her own hat with a pinwheel on it. She walked around and found a nice place to relax, "A nap sounds good…Zoro and the others will find me…eventually." She said with a lawn as she closed her eyes in the shade. However, the pinwheel kept in her mind, when she woke up she grinned, "I think I just thought of a new move!"

"Doctor! Doctor!" A voice yelled out pulling Luffyko's attention.

She looked up and saw the man with the pinwheel carrying Nami's sister. She also saw Nami, she got up ignoring what everyone was talking about, "Oi Nami! What's up? Can I help with something?"

Nami turned towards the younger girl and glared, "You're STILL here?!" She grabbed the girls vest and yelled in her face, "THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUISNESSS! GET OFF THIS ISLAND!"

Luffyko hit the dirt and watched Nami run off, "What's her problem?"

_Meanwhile…._

"Okay, Let's meet with Luffyko as soon as possible!" Hey, Sanji. What are you doing?" Usopp asked as he stood up. Luffyko hadn't returned so it was time to search for her, after all, she got lost easily.

"I'm cherishing this happiness."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nami has suffered a lot. Much more than anybody, and I'm going to take away that suffering. Is there anything better than that?"

Usopp snorted, he knew where Sanji's thoughts lied, "Your motives are obvious. Love cook."

"What's wrong with fighting for somebody beautiful?" Sanji said as he thought of the lovely navigator and captain.

"It's not like that. We're doing this for everybody else in the village too."

"Shut up."

Zoro sighed and grabbed his sword, he had to agree a bit with Sanji. Fighting for a beautiful captain was nice, even if Luffyko was a little dimwitted. However, it was time for him to gather her men to help, "Quit bickering. Let's go."

_Back to Luffyko…._

Luffyko sat afar watching the villagers prepare to fight Arlong, she watched as Nami tried in vain to stop them and then watched as she fell to the ground. Luffyko began to walk over to her as she saw Nami stab her arm, where the Arlong tattoo lay. Every time she brought it to her arm she felt the pain in her heart, Arlong would suffer. Nami needed help now, and she knew it. She walked over and grabed her wrist stopping her from hurting herself any longer. She looked down at Nami and watched her drop the blade.

"Luffyko…" Nami said as she saw the younger girl looking down at her. She couldn't look at the younger girl who she had tried so hard to protect, "What do you want? You don't know anything. You don't know what's been happening for the past eight years on this island."

"Yeah, I don't."

Nami felt the tears falling down her face she refused to bring the young girl into her world, "This is none of your business. I told you to get off this island, didn't I?!"

"Yeah, you told me."

Nami gripped at the dirt, why woudn't she leave her alone? Didn't she know that being with her would only hurt her, "Go away! You! Go away!" She repeated over and over throwing dirt behind her at the girl. The longer she went on the more she knew Luffyko wasn't leaving. Why would she care about a girl like her? Hadn't she betrayed them? Hadn't she told them to leave? Why did she stay? Did this younger girl feel the same way about her, did she feel like they were family? She didn't know who else to turn to, the only person who had a chance to save them was Luffyko, but how could she ask that? "Luffyko…Help me." She looked at the girl and watched as she took her hat off and placed it on her head and then walk away.

"Damn right!" She screamed once she was able to release her rage. Nami understood, now she could defeat the man that had trapped her.

Nami remembered the importance of the hat and looked at the slim girl, "Luffyko…"

Luffyko continued walking, in front of her Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp were waiting. "Let's go."

"Right." The three responded. Zoro stood up and took up her right side, he knew this was going to be harder than the last people they fought. He had seen her covered in cuts over and over, this time he had to protect her. He looked over and saw Sanji on her left side and for a minute felt jealous. However, he realized he would rather have Sanji beside her then Usopp. They needed to protect their captain, no one else had the right to fight Arlong. Nami had given that right to her. "Luffyko, are you ready?"

The girl nodded sternly as she walked up to see the villagers blocked, "Yes, it's time to get our navigator back." As they got closer she saw the villagers not moving, "Move. I'm going to knock."

Zoro looked at the girl and then made sure to keep the villagers away from the slim girl, "Go ahead, Luffyko."

Luffyko pulled back her arm and punched the gate three times, the first two destroying each door, and the last punch destroying the gate altogether. When the dust cleared she stood up and held up her fist, "Which one's Arlong?"


	24. Chapter 24

Arlong glared at the entrance as his gate was destroyed. His jaw clenched tighter when he saw two of the people he wanted dead, Zoro and the long nose guy. He looked at the other two, the blonde pretty boy and the slim peitete girl who was glaring at him. She demanded to know who was Arlong, who did she think she was. She was even more insignificant then the rest of the human trash. "Arlong? Arlong would be my name."

The slim girl walked forward, "I'm Luffyko."

Arlong looked at her, irritated by the fact that she had waltz in and that he was surprised by her foolish bravery, "Luffyko? And who are you?"

"A pirate."

Hatchan suddenly gasped and pointed at the girl, "It's her! She's here! The little girl who likes to take walks."

Luffyko continued to walk forward when two fishmen blocked her path, "Hey there, not so fast. Where do you think you are going. You have got some explaining to do, little girl."

When she continued to walk the second put his hands on her shoulders to stop her, "If you don't stop…"

Luffyko didn't even glance in their direction as she grabbed their heads and slammed them into each other, "Out of my way."

Arlong's eyes narrowed as he watched two of his men fall to the ground and the slim girl walked over them. He could see his men stare at her in shock, as it was surprising, weak human girl defeating two of his men without blinking. "And what does a pirate like you want with me?"

Luffyko pulled back her fist and punched him in the jaw, sending him out of his chair and into the wall, destroying it. Everyone looked at her in wonder and amazement, except the few men who stood beside her.

Arlong got up from the debris and glared at her, "Who the hell are you?"

Luffyko's eyes narrowed at him, her veins popped out on her face and neck, "HOW DARE YOU MAKE MY NAVIGATOR CRY!" She roared, with all the fury racing through her blood. She heard the fishmen yell a protest at her attack and they began to rush her.

Sanji stopped them in their tracks, "You weaklings don't interfere, with my lovely captain." He walked up to her and sighed deeply, "Honestly, bursting in all along…what if you had gotten hurt?"

Luffyko didn't look away from her enemy, "It's not like I'm going to lose if I burst in alone."

Sanji sighed, "That's not the point, how am I supposed to protect you or impress Nami if you burst in alone! I'm just saying, don't bother yourself with all of them, let me take care of them."

"Oh okay." Luffyko said, after all she only wanted Arlong, Sanji could deal with as many of the others as he wanted.

Usopp bravely came forward, "Um…I really don't mind, if you hog them all."

Zoro sighed as he walked up, "That's some bravery you have there." He looked at his captain and made sure she was okay before surveying the rest of the area. From the looks of things she had gotten everyone riled up.

Hatchan gasped and pointed at him, "Hey it's him! The unknown swordsman!"

Kurobi, one of Arlong's main men glared at him, "That's Roronoa Zoro."

"That's what I thought! He's the one who tricked me! He rode me…I mean…I gave him a ride…"

Another fishman saw Usopp and pointed him out, "Hey it's long-nose!"

Hatchan blinked in surprise, "What? But Nami killed that guy!"

"He's still alive." Chu pointed out from behind Hatchan and Kurobi. "Which means…"

Kurobi scowled, "I knew it! I was right all along. That woman's a traitor!"

Arlong gave a cold smirk, "Pirates, eh? So that's the relationship between you guys. I thought you were just Nami's victims. But, what can four inferior beings possibly do?"

Hatchan walked over to the small band of pirates, "You guys are idiots. You think Arlong will waste his time with the likes of you? He'll be enough for the job!" He turned to the sea and made a trumpet like noise. Hatchan smiled as the villagers began to tremble and whisper, he saw the creature come closer, "You guys can be his next meal! Come out Mohmoo!"

"It's a monster!" Screamed Usopp as the large sea monster appeared in the water beside them. "The monster from the Grand Line, that crushed Gosa Village!" He trembled as he thought back to the village that had been flipped upside down when he had first arrived on the island. "It's huge!"

Luffyko saw the monster and just crossed her arms unimpressed, "Oh it's just him."

Sanji glared at the seabull that dared to appear before them again, "So he was friends with the mermen."

Hatchan watched in amazement as the large seabull turned to go away, without a fight, "Wait, Mohmoo! Where do you think you are going? Hey, wait! Wait, I tell you, Mohmoo!"

Arlong glared at the sea monster, "Mohmoo, what are you doing?" The giant sea monster stopped and Arlong continued, "If you wanna run away, I won't stop you, will I Mohmoo." Arlong watched as Mohmoo took his terror and turned on the small worthless pirate crew.

Usopp screamed in terror, "It's coming!" He watched as the mermen began to charge with the sea monster and then began crying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," repeatedly.

Luffyko just took a step forward and smirked, "I'll take care of him. This is a waste of time." Then she lifted one foot and slammed it into the ground, embedding her foot in the concrete. After it was placed she repeated the process with her other foot.

Sanji looked at her in question, "What is our lovely captain doing?"

Zoro looked her over and felt his hair rise, "I have a bad feeling about this…" He watched as she wrapped herself into a spring and then stretched out to grab unto Mohmoo's horns. He wasn't the only one to notice.

"Her arm's stretch?!" Hatchan said as the rest of the mermen looked at the small female in awe and disgust.

Arlong on the other hand stood up, "She posses the power of a devil's fruit?" His men brushed it off and continued their march on the small band of pirates.

Zoro on the other hand, finally got an idea of what his captain was about to do, "Oi, run!"

Sanji looked at the swordsman in question, "What? Why? What is she going to do?"

"I dunno, but it's not gunna be pretty."

Luffyko saw her crew moving away and then turned her attention on the sea monster, "Gum Gum pinwheel!" She lifted the creature from the sea and then began to unspin using the monster as a weapon to destroy part of the park and any mermen by her. When she had finished unspinning herself she released the large monster sending it flying far into the ocean. She looked around at the fallen men and wreckage, "I didn't come here to fight these guys. The one I want to take down is you!" She yelled pointing at Arlong.

"That's just perfect. I was just thinking how I wanted to kill you now too." Arlong said as he glared at the girl who had hurt so many of his men.

"That was dangerous, Luffyko. You should have let me handle it." Sanji said ignoring his other half that wanted to throttle the girl for almost destroying him along with the mermen.

"Did you want to kill us too!" Usopp yelled as she looked at them in confusion. He watched as she began to bob back and forth and yelled at her again, "What the hell did you think you were doing?"

Chu glared at the girl and her men, "How dare you do that to our men."

Kurobi stretched his hands, "It looks like we will have to get our hands dirty now."

Chu smirked, "I think we need to teach them the difference between our species."

Zoro smirked, "So the main forces have finally shown themselves."

Kurobi stepped forward, "Arlong, please stay where you are."

Chu moved up as well, "If you fought out of rage, Arlong Park would turn to dust."

"We will take care of them!" Hatchan said as he readied his first attack.

Arlong relaxed and smirked, "Yeah, do whatever you like."

Luffyko turned to Sanji and Zoro, "Hey…um…wait."

Suddenly Hatchan moved and Zoro looked at him, "Looks like the octopus is up to something."

Sanji smirked and calmly took a hit of his cigerette, "First you boil the octopus in salt water, slice, then flavor with olive oil and paprika. It makes a great appetizer."

"Um wait…can you hear me out." Luffyko said trying to get their attention. That was when Hatchan attacked shooting a black ink at them.

Zoro and Sanji dodged out of the way easily, leaving Luffyko to get drenched in the stuff. "Idiot! Why didn't you dodge?!" Zoro demanded as he looked over his captain.

"AH! I can't see!" Luffyko yelled out as she tried to remove the ink from her face.

Hatchan smirked and walked over to a large piece of debris, "And now to finish you off." He picked it up and walked towards the slim girl.

Usopp trembled a bit away, "Luffyko! Run away!"

Luffyko tried to pull her legs out, "Ya…that's the problem. I can't seem to move. My feet won't come out."

"Idiot! Didn't you stick them in the ground in the first place?" Usopp yelled as the fishman walked up to crush his small captain.

Zoro facepalmed, "What was she thinking?"

Sanji growled as the fishman began to drop the large debris on her. He quickly ran over and kicked up as it landed with a thud. He stood there as it broke around him leaving everyone in surprise, "You will not harm my lovely captain, as long as I am here." Sanji said as he took a breath of his cigarette.

"Ooo! Sanji! Nice one! Nice one!"

"Looks like I ended up with a moron for a captain." Sanji said then turned to Luffyko, "That doesn't mean I will let any harm come to your delicate little body." Sanji said as he grabbed her hand and rubbed it.

Zoro glared at him and pulled him up, "We're in the same boat."

"Even though she's not bright, it's a thousand times better than a bunch of ugly low-lives that would hurt a lady."

Kurobi stepped forward, "A lady? You came all the way here for that kind of woman? You guys make me laugh."

Usopp ran forward and began to try to remove Luffyko free while Sanji and Kurobi began to argue and prepare for a fight. He began to pull her, hoping to pull her free.

"I still ain't getting free." Luffyko said as Usopp continued to pull her body away.

"Not yet? Can't you pull them out yet?"

"Nope. I don't think I can get out by stretching."

Usopp looked down at the girl who was just laying there, "Are you even trying?! Are you even trying to free your legs?"

Hatchan saw him then, "What are you two fooling around for? This is Arlong Park for crying out loud. I'll kill you!" He bent down and picked up another large piece of debris as Usopp continued to try and pull the girl free. He watched as Zoro intercepted and then breathed a sigh of relief, releasing the girl and sending her into Chu and then back to her original spot.

"I'm back to where I started." She said as she watched as Usopp began to entice Chu and then run away.

Arlong stood up then, "Same old, same old. Move this is boring. I can't stand watching anymore."

Kurobi turned to him, "Arlong, I thought we asked you not to get violent here."

"I'm not going to, I just thought of an interesting game."

Hatchan looked at Arlong in surprise, "A game?"

Luffyko saw him and drew back her arm and sent a strong punch at him, "I'm gunna destroy you!"

Arlong moved to the side and then caught her fist, "Do you guys seriously think you can win against us?"

Sanji smirked, "Ya, so what of it?"

Luffyko nodded, "Ya of course we will, stupid! Let go of my hand!"

Zoro smirked at Luffyko's attitude, "Seems like he still wants to say something."  
Luffyko watched then as he bent down and then picked up the ground she was embedded in, "Whoa! What the…What's going on?" She wondered as she looked down at Arlong who held the ground with her feet with one hand and her arm with another.

Arlong grinned, "People who posses the power of the Devil's Fruit are dead weights! Well, even if you didn't have those powers, you'd sink in this situation!"

Zoro stared at him in horror, "He can't be thinking…into the sea!" He looked up at his captain and felt something clutch his heart, she can't be thrown into the sea, she wouldn't make it.

Luffyko gritted her teeth and pulled back her fist, "Gum Gum Pistol!" She yelled as she slammed her fist into Arlong's mouth. Instead of hurting him, he bit into her arm causing her to scream out in pain. She glared at him when he called her an idiot, "Why you!" She stretched her neck and then bit into his arm as payback.

Zoro watched as he let her fist go then throw her over the gate of the park and into the ocean, "LUFFYKO!" He screamed her name as his mind played an image of his captain sinking to the floor of the ocean, calling for him to save her.

Sanji felt shaken as he watched the beautiful delicate captain he serve fall into the water, _'I have to save her…I can't just let her drown!'_ He glared at Arlong, "You bastard!" He began to run to the water, "I'm coming to save-"

Zoro cut him off, "Idiot! Don't get worked up! If you jump in you will only be where they want you. The mermen have the upperhand in the water." He refused to look to the sea and disregard his own advice, but for Luffyko he would be the first mate she wanted. "If we are going to save Luffyko there is only one thing we can do. Take care of these guys quickly and then jump in to save her."

Sanji nodded and glared at his enemies, "Alright, let's do this. We don't have much time."

Arlong smirked, "So how long do you think she will last? That rubbergirl?"

Hatchan understood the game then, "Ah so that's what game you were talking about."

Zoro glared at them, "The fish is yours."

"You get the octopus."

"You humans can't even breath underwater! How inferior you are!" Arlong laughed.

"Alright octopus let' start this!"

"A game, a game!" Hatchan laughed infuriating Zoro.

"I'll finish this in five seconds."

Sanji rushed forward with Zoro, "No three seconds!"

Zoro nodded and then began his attack, dodging Hatchan's ink, '_Hang on Luffyko, I will save you!'_


End file.
